What is Signal and is it secure? Cyber security expert explains amid chat breach
Signal is one of the most secure encrypted chat apps, but it isn't infallible. BlackCloak founder and CEO Chris Pierson joins Katy Tur to explain more about the app after top Trump administration officials inadvertently shared military plans with a journalist in a group chat.
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17 hours ago
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People Keep Refusing to Become Pete Hegseth's Top Aides
Chief of staff to the secretary of defense is usually a prestigious and sought-after job, but under Pete Hegseth, the White House is reportedly having trouble filling it. At least three people have turned down top Defense Department jobs—including chief of staff and several senior adviser roles—since Hegseth abruptly fired three of his top aides in April and accused them of leaking information to the press, NBC News reported. Hegseth's former chief of staff Joe Kasper was also pushed out of the Pentagon following what insiders described as a vicious 'turf war.' Even with Vice President JD Vance and White House chief of staff Susie Wiles taking an active interest in helping Hegseth recover from earlier missteps that raised questions about his leadership, the positions have remained vacant for more than six weeks, according to NBC. Wiles and Vance have looked for candidates inside the White House and on Capitol Hill, but Hegseth—a former Army National Guard officer turned Fox News weekend host—has reportedly rejected the White House's choices. The White House personnel office has also deemed some of the candidates insufficiently MAGA. In a statement to the Daily Beast, chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said, 'The anonymous sources cited in this article have no idea what they're talking about. Since November 5, 2024, the US military has seen the highest recruiting percentage of mission achieved in 30 years. There has never been more enthusiasm to serve under Secretary Hegseth's leadership at the DoD.' White House deputy press secretary Anna Kelly also said in a statement that Hegseth had the White House's 'full support.' 'Thanks to Secretary Hegseth's leadership, military recruitment is up, terrorists are eliminated, and warfighters are prioritized,' she said. Hegseth, who remains largely isolated since firing his own inner circle, relies heavily on an aide named Ricky Buria, who left the military in April in hopes of replacing Hegseth's former chief of staff. The White House, however, refused to give Buria the green light because he's a Biden administration holdover who once called Vance's isolationist views 'wackamamie crazy.' The career Marine was particularly critical of the vice president's opposition to the administration's March airstrikes on Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis, the New York Post reported. Those strikes were the subject of the now-infamous Signal group chat in which Hegseth shared war plans with The Atlantic's editor in chief Jeffrey Goldberg, who was accidentally added to the group by former National Security Adviser Mike Waltz. A Pentagon inspector general report is expected to conclude that Hegseth shared classified information on the chat, according to NBC. The defense secretary has also reportedly shared sensitive information about the Yemen operation in yet another Signal chat with his wife, his personal attorney, and his brother. Hegseth accused his fired aides Dan Caldwell, Colin Carroll, and Darin Selnick of leaking the details of the second chat, a claim the three men deny. They've slammed their dismissals as 'unconscionable' and said no evidence was ever presented to them. Originally Hegseth and his personal attorney Tim Parlatore were responsible for overseeing the investigation into the fired aides, but in May, White House officials instructed the deputy defense secretary to handle the probe instead. The investigation has not revealed any evidence the men were leaking, leading administration officials to question if the firings had been premature, according to NBC. Carroll told SiriusXM host Megyn Kelly in late April that Hegseth spent at least half of his time investigating leaks and had created a culture of 'fear and toxicity.' Given the recruitment problems the White House is now having, word seems to have gotten around.
Yahoo
a day ago
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Signalgate changed Pete Hegseth — texting scandal made him angrier, paranoid and paralyzed by fear: report
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has become more paranoid, fearful and angry in the wake of the so-called 'Signal-gate' scandal that saw the editor-in-chief of The Atlantic included on a chat platform conversation with top national security officials as a drone strike was underway against Houthi rebels in Yemen, a new report reveals. Six people told New York magazine that Hegseth was noticeably changed by the ordeal. They said he seemed angrier, did not bother to shave as often and seemed afraid to make the wrong decision after Signal-gate. One source said that the Pentagon seemed to stop being 'creative.' Another source said the scandal was 'consuming his whole life' at a time 'when he should have been focused on, you know, our national security.' Hegseth also began to regularly have his personal lawyer, Tim Parlatore, and his wife, Jennifer, around, which confused foreign officials. In addition, other news outlets reported that Hegseth had a second group chat going with Parlatore, his wife and his brother and had set up an unsecured internet line in his office. Word of the embarrassing potential breach of national security broke in March, when then-National Security Advisor Michael Waltz added Jeffrey Goldberg, The Atlantic's editor-in-chief, onto a text chain on the messaging app Signal where the Trump administration's national security team discussed striking Houthi targets in Yemen. The scandal immediately put Hegseth--who faced a narrow confirmation in the Senate earlier this year due to his views on women in the military, reports of drinking on the job and allegations of sexual misconduct that he vehemently denied--under heavy scrutiny. In response, Hegseth assailed Goldberg. 'You're talking about a deceitful and highly discredited so-called journalist who's made a profession of peddling hoaxes time and time again to include the hoaxes of Russia, Russia, Russia,' he said at the time. He said that nobody texted war plans. That led to Goldberg publishing screenshots of the full text messages, which showed that the administration officials had indeed been texting what looked like war plans. Earlier this week, Hegseth appeared on Capitol Hill to answer questions about Trump's deployment of Marines to quell anti-ICE riots and demonstrations in Los Angeles. He also faced aggressive questioning about the US having contingency plans to invade Greenland and Panama. The magazine profiled Hegseth's distress after NBC News reported the story about the plans to 'reclaim' Panama and he told his chief of staff Joseph Kasper that he wanted an investigation. The Pentagon further plunged into disarray when the press reported that the Pentagon had ordered a second carrier into the Red Sea. Hegseth defended the fact that sending troops to Los Angeles cost $134 million. The magazine profile went into deeper detail about the dismissal of Hegseth's allies in the Pentagon, including his advisers Dan Caldwell, Darin Selnick and Colin Carroll. Kasper, Hegseth's chief of staff, believed that Colin tried to get Kasper fired through a report by the Pentagon's inspector general about Kasper's alleged drug use. 'That's what pisses me off the most,' Carroll said. 'I don't want a secretary of defense that can't even f***ing fire people properly and not have it rebound back on his ass. Pete can't even be a good villain.' Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell denied claims of disarray under Hegseth's tenure. 'Claims of chaos at the Pentagon under Secretary Hegseth are false,' he said. 'When members of the legacy media lie, they disrespect the brave servicemembers and civilians who selflessly serve our country.' At the moment, Hegseth no longer has a chief of staff or deputy chief of staff.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
Hegseth says the Pentagon has contingency plans to invade Greenland if necessary
WASHINGTON (AP) — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth appeared to acknowledge that the Pentagon has developed plans to take over Greenland and Panama by force if necessary but refused to answer repeated questions at a hotly combative congressional hearing Thursday about his use of Signal chats to discuss military operations. Democratic members of the House Armed Services Committee repeatedly got into heated exchanges with Hegseth, with some of the toughest lines of questioning coming from military veterans as many demanded yes or no answers and he tried to avoid direct responses about his actions as Pentagon chief. In one back-and-forth, Hegseth did provide an eyebrow-raising answer. Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash., asked whether the Pentagon has developed plans to take Greenland or Panama by force if necessary. 'Our job at the Defense Department is to have plans for any contingency,' Hegseth said several times. It is not unusual for the Pentagon to draw up contingency plans for conflicts that have not arisen, but his handling of the questions prompted a Republican lawmaker to step in a few minutes later. 'It is not your testimony today that there are plans at the Pentagon for taking by force or invading Greenland, correct?' said Rep. Mike Turner, R-Ohio. As Hegseth started to repeat his answer about contingency plans, Turner added emphatically, 'I sure as hell hope that is not your testimony.' 'We look forward to working with Greenland to ensure that it is secured from any potential threats,' Hegseth responded. Time and again, lawmakers pressed Hegseth to answer questions he has avoided for months, including during the two previous days of hearings on Capitol Hill. And frustration boiled over. "You're an embarrassment to this country. You're unfit to lead," Rep. Salud Carbajal snapped, the California Democrat's voice rising. 'You should just get the hell out.' GOP lawmakers on several occasions apologized to Hegseth for the Democrats' sharp remarks, saying he should not be subject to such 'flagrant disrespect.' Hegseth said he was 'happy to take the arrows' to make tough calls and do what's best. Questions emerge on Signal chats and if details Hegseth shared were classified Hegseth's use of two Signal chats to discuss details of the U.S. plans to strike Houthi rebels in Yemen with other U.S. leaders as well as members of his family prompted dizzying exchanges with lawmakers. Hegseth was pressed multiple times over whether or not he shared classified information and if he should face accountability if he did. Hegseth argued that the classification markings of any information about those military operations could not be discussed with lawmakers. That became a quick trap, as Hegseth has asserted that nothing he posted — on strike times and munitions dropped in March — was classified. His questioner, Rep. Seth Moulton, a Massachusetts Democrat and Marine veteran, jumped on the disparity. 'You can very well disclose whether or not it was classified,' Moulton said. 'What's not classified is that it was an incredible, successful mission,' Hegseth responded. A Pentagon watchdog report on his Signal use is expected soon. Moulton asked Hegseth whether he would hold himself accountable if the inspector general finds that he placed classified information on Signal, a commercially available app. Hegseth would not directly say, only noting that he serves 'at the pleasure of the president.' He was asked if he would apologize to the mother of a pilot flying the strike mission for jeopardizing the operation and putting her son's life at risk. Hegseth said, 'I don't apologize for success.' Trump's speech at Fort Bragg raises Democratic concerns about politics in the military Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who appeared along Hegseth, was questioned about Trump's speech at Fort Bragg this week and whether the military was becoming politicized. The Defense Department has a doctrine that prohibits troops from participating in political activity while in uniform. Members of the 82nd Airborne Division were directed to stand behind Trump at Fort Bragg, and they booed and cheered during his incendiary remarks, including condemnation of his predecessor, Joe Biden. There also was a pop-up MAGA merchandise stand selling souvenirs to troops in uniform. Caine repeatedly said U.S. service members must be apolitical but that he was unaware of anything that happened at Fort Bragg. Hegseth is pressed about policies on women in uniform and transgender troops Hegseth got into a sharp debate about whether women and transgender service members should serve in the military or combat jobs. He said he has worked to remove diversity programs and political correctness from the military. He said he has not politicized the military but simply wants the most capable troops. Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, D-Pa., demanded to know if Hegseth believes that both men and women can pull a trigger, cause death, operate a drone or launch a missile. 'It depends on the context,' Hegseth said, adding that 'women carry equipment differently, a 155 round differently, a rucksack differently.' Hegseth, who has previously said women 'straight up' should not serve in combat, asserted that women have joined the military in record numbers under the Trump administration. He said the military 'standards should be high and equal.' He also was asked about three female service members — now being forced out as part of the Pentagon's move to ban transgender troops. Hegseth agreed that their accomplishments — which Rep. Sara Jacobs, D-Calif., read out — were to be celebrated, until he learned they were transgender. Republican lawmakers jumped to his defense, criticizing any Pentagon spending on gender transition surgery. Democrats ask about plans for action against Greenland and Panama President Donald Trump has said multiple times that he wants to take control of Greenland, a strategic, mineral-rich island and long a U.S. ally. Those remarks have been met with flat rejections from the leaders of Greenland, an autonomous territory that is part of Denmark. 'Greenland is not for sale,' Jacob Isbosethsen, Greenland's representative to the U.S, said Thursday at a forum in Washington sponsored by the Arctic Institute. In an effort not to show the Pentagon's hand on its routine effort to have plans for everything, Hegseth danced around the direct question from Smith, leading to the confusion. 'Speaking on behalf of the American people, I don't think the American people voted for President Trump because they were hoping we would invade Greenland,' Smith said. ___ AP writer David Klepper in Washington contributed to this report. Lolita C. Baldor And Tara Copp, The Associated Press
