Report: Hegseth Shared Info from ‘SECRET’ Email in Signal Chat as Trump Takes the Heat
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is under renewed fire after a Pentagon watchdog concluded that messages he sent in a Signal group chat about U.S. airstrikes on Houthi targets in Yemen came from an email marked “SECRET/NOFORN,” according to sources familiar with an internal review.
The classified email originally sent via a secure system by U.S. Central Command head Gen. Michael “Erik” Kurilla was shared with over a dozen Defense Department officials. It reportedly detailed the timing and strategy of U.S. bombing operations planned for March 15, including the types of aircraft and weapons involved.
Despite the classification, Hegseth is said to have copied the contents into an unclassified Signal chat just before the strikes began. He also reportedly passed the information into another Signal group that included his wife, brother, and personal attorney.
“SECRET” classification indicates material that, if exposed, could seriously damage national security, while “NOFORN” restricts access to U.S. citizens only. Hegseth’s decision to share such information has raised serious concerns among lawmakers and defense officials and now, President Trump is bearing much of the political fallout.
The Trump administration has repeatedly denied that classified intelligence was disclosed in any of the Signal messages. However, this latest revelation appears to contradict those claims, further fueling criticism of the administration’s handling of sensitive military operations.
The issue came to light earlier this year when a journalist from The Atlantic was accidentally added to one of the Signal threads, exposing the extent of the discussion. Since then, the controversy has ballooned into a major political liability not just for Hegseth, but for Trump himself, who is now absorbing much of the backlash as questions swirl over command discipline and national security.
The Pentagon’s inspector general launched a formal review in April, following bipartisan pressure from members of the Senate Armed Services Committee. The report is still pending but is expected to be released in the coming months.
Meanwhile, critics from both parties are calling for accountability. Multiple Democratic lawmakers and at least one Republican have urged that Hegseth either resign or be dismissed from his post.
Adding to the tension, Hegseth has also come under fire for reportedly pausing military aid to Ukraine without Trump’s direct authorization, raising further questions about his leadership.
In a statement Wednesday, Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell stood by earlier denials, calling the controversy “an old and worn out narrative.”
“No classified information was shared via Signal,” Parnell said. “Nobody was texting war plans.” He pointed to the success of recent U.S. operations code-named Rough Rider and Midnight Hammer as evidence that operational discipline remains intact.
Still, new reporting from The Washington Post suggests otherwise. The paper noted that Kurilla had sent his message over the Secret Internet Protocol Router Network, a system reserved for classified material. Two sources said there was no indication Hegseth sought permission to declassify the information before reposting it.
The fallout has already claimed at least one high-profile figure. Michael Waltz, the former national security adviser who created the Signal chat, was removed from his post shortly after the scandal broke. He has since been nominated to serve as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations and testified at his confirmation hearing that “no classified information was shared.”
As Hegseth faces intensifying scrutiny, it’s President Trump who’s now facing growing political pressure shouldering the blame for a scandal that continues to ripple through the administration.