Hegseth Shared Attack Details in Private Chat with Family and Lawyer, Reports Say
Hegseth shared attack details in a private chat with family and his lawyer, facing growing scrutiny after reports revealed he used a Signal group to discuss sensitive military information with people outside the Pentagon. Sources who spoke with ABC News and The New York Times said the chat didn’t just involve top officials—it also included Hegseth’s wife, his brother, and his personal lawyer.
Hegseth created the group chat on his personal phone to share updates about scheduling. But in March, just before a missile strike on Houthi targets in Yemen, he reportedly posted specific flight plans for U.S. F/A-18 Hornets involved in the mission.
Around the same time, Hegseth and other officials also shared similar military details with a journalist at The Atlantic, raising concerns about the security of those conversations.
Who’s in the Group Chat?
The second group chat, according to the sources, included:
Jennifer Hegseth – Pete Hegseth’s wife, who does not work for the Defense Department.
Phil Hegseth – His brother, a senior adviser at the Department of Homeland Security, temporarily working with the Pentagon.
Tim Parlatore – Hegseth’s personal attorney and a Navy reservist working in his office.
Officials say this chat included no classified information. But even without classified labels, sharing any military timing and movement through unofficial channels could still pose a risk.
Sean Parnell, the Pentagon’s spokesperson, defended the secretary in a post on X (formerly Twitter), calling the story “another old tale.” He said, “There was no classified information in any Signal chat, no matter how many ways they try to write the story.”
Ongoing Fallout and Staff Changes
The fallout from this issue continues to grow. The Pentagon’s acting inspector general, Steven Stebbins, announced that his office has started reviewing how Hegseth and his team used the app. His review aims to determine whether they followed rules on where and how to conduct official government business.
In recent weeks, Hegseth dismissed at least three aides—Dan Caldwell, Colin Carroll, and Darin Selnick. All three said they never received a reason and still don’t know if a formal investigation into leaks exists.
“We have not been told what exactly we were investigated for,” they said in a joint statement posted on X.
John Ullyot, the Pentagon’s former top spokesperson, also spoke up. In Politico, he wrote, “From leaks of sensitive operational plans to mass firings, the dysfunction is now a major distraction for the president.” Though Ullyot has long supported Hegseth, he added, “The last month has been a full-blown meltdown at the Pentagon.”
So far, the Department of Defense has not confirmed whether Hegseth will face any consequences. But pressure continues to rise, and even his allies have started to question whether he can keep his role.
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