Pete Hegseth pushed back strongly against media reports and “disgruntled former employees” over a controversy involving Signal group chats allegedly discussing military operations. Speaking at a White House event, he denied sharing sensitive intelligence about strikes in Yemen and accused outlets like The New York Times of relying on anonymous sources to publish “hit pieces” aimed at damaging his reputation.
Hegseth said he remains fully aligned with Donald Trump and intends to continue his work at the Defense Department. The White House also rejected a report from NPR claiming officials were considering replacing him, calling it “fake news.”
The controversy stems from earlier reports that a Signal chat involving senior officials accidentally included Jeffrey Goldberg of The Atlantic, as well as separate allegations that Hegseth discussed operational details in another chat. Despite criticism and calls for resignation, Trump defended Hegseth, emphasizing the military mission’s success and saying no harm was done.
