Chaos at the Pentagon: Hegseth Accused of Sharing Yemen Strike Plans on Signal
April 2025
Fresh controversy has emerged surrounding U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth after reports confirmed he shared sensitive military information in a second private Signal group chat. According to CBS News, citing sources familiar with the exchanges, the messages included operational details about U.S. air strikes targeting Houthi forces in Yemen.
The messages, reportedly sent on March 15, contained flight schedules for American F/A-18 Hornet jets engaged in combat operations. The recipients of the group chat included Hegseth’s wife, Jennifer; his brother, Phil; and his personal attorney, Tim Parlatore.
Second Private Group Raises Security Concerns
This second Signal group, named "Defense | Team Huddle", was allegedly created by Hegseth himself, as reported by The New York Times. The emergence of this group follows revelations from the previous week about another Signal chat involving U.S. defense officials, where similarly sensitive discussions took place.
Despite the nature of the information shared, the White House has insisted that no classified data was disclosed in either group. Nonetheless, national security experts and former defense officials have raised alarms about the potential risks of such informal communication channels, especially involving non-government personnel.
Questionable Inclusion of Non-Officials
Criticism has intensified over the inclusion of Hegseth’s wife, a former Fox News producer with no official role at the Pentagon. Both his brother and his lawyer hold positions within the Department of Defense, but their need to access pre-strike intelligence remains unclear.
Although Signal uses end-to-end encryption, experts caution that classified communications should take place through secure, government-controlled channels, not private devices.
Broader Pentagon Turmoil
This incident adds to growing instability within the Pentagon. Hegseth, who is overseeing a record $892 billion defense budget this year, has recently dismissed three senior officials for "unauthorized disclosures" — allegations they strongly deny.
John Ullyot, a former top Pentagon spokesperson, described the department as being in “total chaos” in a Politico op-ed, warning that dysfunction at senior levels is distracting from national security priorities.
In contrast, Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell defended Hegseth on social media, accusing critics of targeting those loyal to President Trump, and reiterating that no classified information was shared.
U.S. Airstrikes in Yemen Escalate
Meanwhile, U.S. military operations in Yemen continue in response to Houthi attacks on commercial shipping routes in the Red Sea. Since November 2023, the Houthis have targeted dozens of vessels, sinking two and killing four crew members.
Houthi forces claim they are acting in solidarity with Palestinians amid the Gaza conflict, but many of their targeting claims have been proven false.
The latest U.S. airstrike on a Yemeni oil terminal left at least 74 people dead and over 170 injured, according to the Houthi-run health ministry. The Houthi-led government called the attack a "war crime."
Looking Ahead
As questions about leadership accountability and information security mount, the Hegseth controversy could shape future policy on how senior officials handle sensitive communications in the digital age.