WASHINGTON (Diya TV) — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is facing intensifying bipartisan pressure to resign after reports emerged that he shared sensitive U.S. military strike details in a private Signal group chat with his wife, brother, and personal attorney.
The New York Times first reported that Hegseth used a Signal chat group titled “Defense | Team Huddle” to disclose operational details—including the flight schedules of F/A-18 Hornets involved in a March 15 strike on Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen. The group included Hegseth’s wife, Jennifer, a former Fox News producer; his brother Phil, a Department of Homeland Security liaison; and his attorney, Tim Parlatore, recently recommissioned as a Navy JAG officer.
According to the Times, Hegseth used his phone and continued posting in the chat even after aides warned him that doing so could violate Pentagon communication protocols. A separate Signal group, previously reported by The Atlantic, had included similar operational information and mistakenly added the magazine’s editor-in-chief, Jeffrey Goldberg.
“This repeated and reckless disregard for national security protocols puts lives at risk and violates the public trust,” said Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), who renewed his call for Hegseth’s resignation following the latest revelations. “He must resign immediately. If he refuses, President Trump must act for the safety of our service members and the country.”
Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), a combat veteran, echoed that demand, saying Hegseth should “resign in disgrace.”
The Pentagon has denied any breach of classified information. Sean Parnell, the department’s chief spokesman, dismissed the reports as “driven by disgruntled former employees” and claimed “there was no classified information in any Signal chat.”
However, national security experts remain skeptical. Former senior defense officials told The Times that sharing strike timing and aircraft types in real time would generally qualify as classified information.
Adding to the scrutiny, photos show Jennifer Hegseth participating in official defense meetings overseas, including one with the British defense minister, despite having no formal government role. The Wall Street Journal reported she also attended other sensitive meetings in February and March.
Following the backlash, Hegseth defended himself at the White House on April 21, calling the reports part of a smear campaign. “Leakers get fired and hit pieces come out,” he said. “They take anonymous sources from former employees, and they try to ruin people’s reputations… not gonna work with me.”
In a post on X, Hegseth responded defiantly to criticism: “Your agenda is illegals, trans & DEI — all of which are no longer allowed @ DoD.”
White House officials remain publicly supportive. “The president has confidence in Secretary Hegseth,” said Karoline Leavitt, a White House spokesperson. “He stands behind him.”
Still, the controversy has rocked the Pentagon’s leadership team. Several of Hegseth’s top aides—including Dan Caldwell, Darin Selnick, and Colin Carroll—were recently fired for allegedly leaking internal information. Another former official, John Ullyot, wrote in Politico that the Pentagon “is in disarray under Hegseth’s leadership” and urged President Trump to remove him.
The Pentagon’s acting inspector general, Steven Stebbins, has launched an internal review to assess whether Defense Department personnel violated protocols by using commercial messaging apps like Signal for official business. That investigation was prompted by a bipartisan request from Senators Jack Reed (D-RI) and Roger Wicker (R-MS).
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) also weighed in, calling Hegseth’s actions dangerous. “The details keep coming out. We keep learning how Pete Hegseth put lives at risk. But Trump is still too weak to fire him,” Schumer posted on X.
