Daijiworld Media Network- Washington
Washington, Apr 22: The White House has reportedly initiated a process to identify a potential replacement for US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, amid allegations that he leaked sensitive military details in a private Signal messaging group.
According to US broadcaster NPR, the move comes in the wake of a report by The New York Times which revealed that Hegseth allegedly shared confidential information regarding American airstrikes on Yemen-based Houthi targets on March 15. The details were reportedly posted in a chat group named “Defense | Team Huddle” created by Hegseth himself.
The group, according to the report, included individuals from Hegseth’s close circle—his wife Jennifer Hegseth (a former Fox News producer), his brother, his personal attorney, and several others. Notably, the messages shared included information on F/A-18 Hornet flight schedules, considered highly classified.
The controversy intensified after The Atlantic previously disclosed the existence of another Signal chat meant for senior national security officials, raising concerns about protocol breaches in communication within the defence establishment.
Adding to the firestorm, South Korea’s Yonhap news agency reported that a separate instance had occurred where a journalist was inadvertently added to one of the chats containing operational strike details, further raising eyebrows about Hegseth's handling of sensitive information.
Despite the uproar, both the White House and President Donald Trump have come out strongly in defence of Hegseth.
“Pete’s doing a great job. Everybody’s happy,” President Trump said while addressing reporters during the annual Easter Egg Roll at the White House on Monday.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt also dismissed the NPR report as baseless. “This NPR story is total FAKE NEWS based on one anonymous source who clearly has no idea what they are talking about,” she stated on X (formerly Twitter), reiterating the President's support for the embattled Defence Secretary.
As the situation unfolds, all eyes remain on the White House for further clarification on the future of Secretary Hegseth and the growing scrutiny over internal communication practices in top defence circles.