US Defense Secretary's Private Signal Chats Revealed, Again

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth shared details of a March military airstrike targeting Yemen’s Houthi militants in a second private Signal group chat that included his wife and brother, according to multiple media reports.

The revelation follows an earlier disclosure in late March that Hegseth had discussed strike plans in another Signal group with top administration officials—and, apparently by mistake, a journalist.

The existence of the second chat, first reported by The New York Times and later confirmed by CNN and the Associated Press, has raised fresh concerns about the handling of sensitive military information. A source familiar with the chat told AP that the group, named "Defense | Team Huddle," included 13 people, among them Hegseth’s wife, Fox News producer Jennifer Hegseth, and his brother Phil Hegseth, a Pentagon liaison for the Department of Homeland Security.

The White House dismissed the reports as a "non-story," suggesting they were fueled by disgruntled former Pentagon employees.

“No matter how many times the legacy media tries to resurrect the same non-story, they can’t change the fact that no classified information was shared,” said Anna Kelly, White House deputy press secretary. She accused leakers of attempting to undermine President Donald Trump’s agenda and vowed to hold them accountable.

Growing Scrutiny Over Use of Private Messaging Apps

The latest disclosure has intensified criticism of Hegseth and the Trump administration for allowing sensitive military discussions on Signal, a commercial encrypted app not authorized for sharing classified defense information. The Pentagon’s watchdog is reviewing Hegseth’s use of the app, as well as that of other defense officials.

The first Signal group, created by National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, included several cabinet members and was revealed after The Atlantic’s editor-in-chief, Jeffrey Goldberg, was inadvertently added. Messages published by The Atlantic showed Hegseth listing weapons systems and warplane launch times for strikes against Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen—though he insisted no classified details were disclosed.

According to CBS News, the second group, established by Hegseth himself, contained March 15 messages outlining flight schedules for F/A-18 Hornets conducting strikes. Critics, including former defense officials, argue that such discussions on unsecured platforms could endanger military personnel.

Hegseth, who oversees an $892 billion defense budget, has faced mounting controversies. Last week, he dismissed three senior officials over an alleged "unauthorized disclosure," which they called baseless. John Ullyot, a former Pentagon spokesperson who resigned recently, described the department as in "total chaos" in a Politico op-ed.

Meanwhile, Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell accused the "Trump-hating media" of targeting officials loyal to the president, reiterating that no classified material was shared in the chats.

The U.S. has conducted strikes in Yemen in response to Houthi attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea, a vital trade route. Since November 2023, the Houthis have targeted dozens of vessels, sinking two, seizing one, and killing four crew members.

A recent U.S. strike on a Yemeni oil terminal killed at least 74 people, per Houthi authorities, who condemned the attack as a "war crime."