After a dressing-down from his boss Donald Trump, Pete Hegseth gets entangled in another Signal chat controversy; here's what it is
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth faces renewed scrutiny after being linked to another Signal chat group with former Fox News colleagues, raising concerns within the Pentagon about security protocols. This third chat included his wife, Jennifer Rauchet, adviser Sean Parnell, and Tami Radabaugh, now Hegseth's deputy assistant for public affairs.
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Another Signal Chat Raises Concerns at the Pentagon
Tami Radabaugh's Quiet Role Comes Into Focus
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Just days after US president Donald Trump had a talk with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth about his controversy over using the messaging platform Signal to send messages about the government's military actions to his family, he is once again under fire, this time for his participation in yet another Signal chat group with other former Fox News producers, as per a report.This third Signal chat involved not only Hegseth's wife, who was also a former Fox News producer Jennifer Rauchet, but also his senior adviser and spokesperson Sean Parnell, and Tami Radabaugh, who was a former Fox executive producer and close friend of Rauchet's, and now works as Hegseth's deputy assistant for public affairs at the Department of Defense, according to The Washington Post.While, it is unclear what was precisely being discussed in this third group and it is not known if that chat remains active or not, as per Washington Post.However, the inclusion of Radabaugh is concerning for the Pentagon, which has warned that Signal is susceptible to hacking and should not be used even to discuss matters that are not classified, reported DailyBeast.Even though Radabaugh handles public affairs for Hegseth, her name remained out of view when his initial string of Signal chaos started, as per the report.Meanwhile, Hegseth's wife Rauchet has a major influence in shaping her husband's tenure as defense secretary, despite not having an official role at the department, according to DailyBeast. She weighs in on what media hits he should do, and has even asked DOD staff to compile Hegseth's initial remarks when he started his role, to reporters and share them on social, reported DailyBeast.A source told the Washington Post, 'We would always hear that she was saying what kind of videos he should be doing, and what kind of statements he should be doing, and how the press should be handled,' as quoted in the report.Yes, just days after a warning from Trump, he's tied to another Signal chat involving former Fox colleagues.Hegseth, his wife Jennifer Rauchet, adviser Sean Parnell, and former Fox producer Tami Radabaugh.
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