Pete Hegseth embarrassed as truth about his 'secret' leaked Signal messages on Yemen bombing exposed
In March, the Pentagon was shrouded in controversy after a group message on Signal regarding imminent U.S. strikes in Yemen inadvertently included a journalist from The Atlantic.
The thread included major heads of state, like Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and discussed plans to bomb Houthi militants.
The debacle, dubbed 'Signalgate,' resulted in several high-profile officials firings. It also led to Mike Waltz stepping down as national security advisor.
At the time Hegseth and others fought back against the scandal, arguing that classified information was not shared through improper channels.
But sources have revealed to the Washington Post that the information put in the group chat by Hegseth came from an email marked 'SECRET/NOFORN,' indicating the email's material was highly sensitive in nature. 'NOFORN' means that the information was not to be shared with foreigners, not even with close U.S. allies.
Now as Pentagon's internal investigator, the inspector general, reviews the matter, sources say there's evidence that the attack plans originated from classified sources.
This revelation cuts directly against the Pentagon's claims that classified information was not shared frivolously - a claim defense officials stand by.
'This Signal narrative is so old and worn out, it's starting to resemble Joe Biden's mental state,' chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell told the Daily Mail. 'The Department stands behind its previous statements: no classified information was shared via Signal.'
'As we've said repeatedly, nobody was texting war plans and the success of the Department's recent operations - from Operation Rough Rider to Operation Midnight Hammer - are proof that our operational security and discipline are top notch,' Hegseth's spokesman added.
The information allegedly shared by the secretary originated in an email thread with CENTCOM commander Gen. Erik Kurilla, who sent the plans over classified channels, sources said.
Kurilla's message detailed strike plans for that day with precise details, including what aircraft and weapons were to be deployed. It also indicated when the bombing was expected to start.
The existence of the chat was exposed by Atlantic editor Jeffrey Goldberg, who was accidentally added to the sensitive thread.
Hegseth has repeatedly insisted that 'no classified information was shared' in the group chat, contrary to the Post's reporting.
Since the debacle many Democrats have called for Hegseth to step down.
Republican Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., also called for the secretary of defense to resign.
But Hegseth has persevered, in part due to Trump's reluctance to hand the media narrative that his Cabinet is in chaos.
Republicans in the Senate have remained skeptical of Hegseth; one even told the Daily Mail that some right-wing senators are 'sharpening their knives' and eagerly awaiting the secretary's next misstep.
Now, a new rebellion brewing in the Pentagon over the secretary of defense.
An effort is under way among some Pentagon officials to denounce Hegseth as unfit to serve as Defense Secretary, the Daily Mail can reveal.
Since May, drafts of a letter have been circulating among high and mid-level military brass and civilian workers to 'Let the American public know this guy has no clue what he's doing,' one of them told the Daily Mail.
Three Pentagon sources shared that the letter is full of complaints, ranging from politicized decision-making to department-wide dysfunction, low morale, and a climate of paranoia driven by what they describe as Hegseth's obsession with rooting out dissent.
The Pentagon again caught a round of negative press earlier this month when Trump and Hegseth appeared at odds over aide for Ukraine.
Reports indicated that Hegseth unilaterally decided to halt some weapons shipments to the country.
When asked about the pause, Trump said he didn't know about it, putting him in an awkward position.
'I think it would be really unusual for a Secretary of Defense to put a pause on assets to somebody like Ukraine, who we want to help, without consulting the president,' Senator Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, a noted Hegseth skeptic and Trump critic, told the Daily Mail at the time.
She called Hegseth's reported pause 'interesting' and praised Trump for changing that directive.
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