Source: YouTube

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is under fire yet again for sharing operational strike details in a Signal chat with his wife, brother, and personal lawyer. The leak, confirmed by multiple news outlets, adds to a growing pattern of unorthodox behavior at the helm of the Pentagon. Critics now warn that the defense secretary is recklessly endangering U.S. forces for the sake of convenience, or worse, personal ego.

The chat, dubbed “Defense | Team Huddle,” was reportedly created by Hegseth himself before his confirmation and continued to include people with no official need to know. On March 15, he used the group to share the flight schedules of F/A-18 Hornets conducting strikes on Houthi positions in Yemen at the same time he was sharing similar details in another Signal chat with White House officials. The personal chat involved thirteen members, including his spouse Jennifer, who holds no Pentagon role.

Why the Latest Signal Chat Is Even More Damaging

This is the second such Signal chat tied to Hegseth in under two months. The first, revealed in March, mistakenly included a journalist and already raised concerns about national security protocol breaches. But this second group cuts even deeper. Unlike the initial chat which included only senior officials, this one was personal, involving individuals with no operational clearance or statutory reason to be briefed.

His personal lawyer, Tim Parlatore, though now a Navy JAG, was not directly involved in operations. His brother Phil, though a Pentagon adviser, is a liaison to Homeland Security and not part of the defense strategy chain. Their inclusion, along with that of his wife, a former Fox News producer, has ignited bipartisan outrage in Congress.

What’s worse, multiple aides reportedly warned Hegseth before the March 15 strikes not to use Signal to share mission details. He ignored them. It is now unclear whether these aides were among the three top Pentagon officials he dismissed last week under the guise of an “unauthorized disclosure” probe.

Why Does Pete Hegseth Keep Risking His Career Over a Chat App?

For someone controlling an $892 billion defense budget, Hegseth’s continued use of Signal as a primary channel defies Pentagon norms. Signal is encrypted, but it is not cleared for sensitive operational communications. National security experts say that even discussing aircraft types and timing, regardless of whether the information is officially classified, could expose U.S. pilots to danger if intercepted.

Some speculate that Hegseth, a former Fox News personality with limited experience in high-level government positions, sees Signal chats as a tool for retaining control within his tight inner circle. Others say he has confused loyalty with discretion, keeping confidants closer than protocol allows. Either way, the fallout is becoming impossible to ignore.

The Pentagon’s acting inspector general has already launched a probe into Hegseth’s use of commercial apps for official communications. Now, congressional Democrats and even some Republicans are calling for further oversight—or outright removal.

Signal Chat Concerns Leading to Chaos Inside the Pentagon

The Signal chat revelations come amid broader dysfunction within the Department of Defense. Three senior aides were dismissed last week and escorted out of the building. Internal morale is reportedly plummeting. One former spokesman, John Ullyot, wrote in Politico that the Pentagon was in “total chaos” and had become a distraction for President Trump.

Despite the public denials from Hegseth and the White House, who insisted that no classified information was exchanged, many in the military and intelligence community disagree. Former defense officials have stated plainly that mission timing and flight schedules would meet classification thresholds. Meanwhile, Hegseth appears unfazed. “Nobody was texting war plans,” he said last week. But to security professionals, the distinction is meaningless. Context, delivery, and recipient all matter, and this situation ticks every warning box.

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