U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was reported to have shared details of a March attack on Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis in a message group that included his wife, brother, and personal lawyer. This raises concerns about the use of an unclassified messaging system to share sensitive security information, especially as senior officials were ousted from the Pentagon as part of an internal leak investigation.
Hegseth’s wife, Jennifer, has attended sensitive meetings with foreign military counterparts, and his brother is a Department of Homeland Security liaison to the Pentagon. The Trump administration has aggressively pursued leaks, with Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell accusing the media of relying on disgruntled former employees for information.
Democratic lawmakers have called for Hegseth’s resignation, with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Senator Tammy Duckworth criticizing his actions. The latest revelation comes after one of Hegseth’s advisers, Dan Caldwell, was escorted from the Pentagon as part of the leak investigation. Less-senior officials Darin Selnick and Colin Carroll were also put on administrative leave and fired.
The situation has put Hegseth in a tumultuous moment, with questions raised about how he can continue in his position. The Trump administration and White House spokesperson Anna Kelly have dismissed the leaks as misinformation spread by disgruntled former employees. Hegseth’s future in the Defense Department remains uncertain as more information about the leaks comes to light.
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