A report by The New York Times revealed that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth shared classified military strike details in a private Signal group chat that included his wife, brother, and lawyer—raising serious questions about the handling of sensitive national security information.
The Times reports that on March 15, Hegseth disclosed specific operational plans, including flight schedules for U.S. warplanes, related to an upcoming strike against Houthi militants in Yemen. These details were shared not through secure government channels but via Signal, a commercial encrypted messaging app.
This marks the second such reported breach. Last month, it emerged that top officials—including Hegseth, Vice President JD Vance, and National Security Adviser Mike Waltz—had discussed the same operation using Signal instead of secure systems designed for classified communications. That breach came to light after The Atlantic editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg was mistakenly added to the group chat.
The latest revelations suggest the group chat extended beyond administration officials. According to the report, Hegseth’s wife Jennifer, a former Fox News producer, and his brother Phil, who works at the Department of Defense, were included in a second Signal chat discussing the airstrike. Hegseth’s personal attorney, Tim Parlatore, was also reportedly part of the group.
While both Jennifer and Phil Hegseth have connections to the Defense Department—Jennifer often accompanies her husband on official trips, and Phil is a DoD employee—their inclusion in a discussion involving real-time military plans appears highly irregular and potentially a breach of protocol.
It remains unclear whether either held the proper security clearance or had a direct role in the decision-making process regarding the strike.
The New York Times cited four unnamed individuals with direct knowledge of the Signal chat as sources for its reporting.
This growing controversy underscores the potential risks of using private apps for official communications, especially those involving national security operations. Secure government platforms exist precisely to prevent leaks, unauthorized access, and accidental disclosures.
Thus far, the Department of Defense has not issued a public response to the new report, nor has the White House commented on whether an investigation will be launched into the matter.
Whether Hegseth will face consequences remains to be seen, but the pressure is mounting.