US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth Shared Yemen Strike Plans on Private Signal Chat: NYT
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth allegedly shared classified Yemen strike plans with family and friends via Signal, raising national security concerns within the Trump administration.
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth used his personal phone to share details about the US military strike on Yemen’s Houthi rebels through a private Signal chat, according to a New York Times report citing unnamed sources familiar with the matter.
The group chat, named “Defence | Team Huddle,” reportedly included around a dozen members from Hegseth’s personal and professional circles, including his wife, brother, and lawyer. The information shared allegedly included flight timings of combat aircraft involved in the March attack on Houthi positions in Yemen.
The revelations have sparked fresh controversy for the Trump administration, already facing scrutiny for mishandling sensitive data through unofficial channels.
This incident comes on the heels of an earlier Signal chat leak involving US National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, who mistakenly added a journalist to a group containing sensitive pre-strike information. That group reportedly included several high-ranking Trump officials such as Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard and Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff.
The journalist later published an exposé detailing the group’s contents and the security lapses, further igniting backlash against Waltz.
Hegseth, when confronted by reporters about the alleged leaks, denied wrongdoing. “Nobody was texting war plans,” he said, challenging the credibility of investigative journalist Jonathan Goldberg, who first exposed the information flow.
Following the earlier leaks, key White House figures including Vice President JD Vance and Chief of Staff Susie Wiles urged President Donald Trump to remove Waltz from his post. However, Trump reportedly refused, fearing that such a move would be seen as an admission of fault and embolden the media, Politico reported.
Meanwhile, calls for accountability have grown louder, with opposition lawmakers and national security analysts demanding internal reviews of how classified information is handled among top officials.
The Hegseth controversy underscores a broader issue within the Trump administration regarding the use of unsecured personal devices and encrypted apps like Signal to communicate sensitive national security information.
While no official statement has been released by the Pentagon, sources indicate that an internal probe may be initiated in light of the NYT report.
Legal experts suggest Hegseth could face disciplinary action if investigations confirm he breached classified information handling protocols.
