Reports say US defence secretary shared Yemen attack plans in another Signal chat

Pete Hegseth, United States defence secretary, shared detailed plans about forthcoming Yemen attacks in a private Signal group chat that included his wife, brother, and personal lawyer, multiple reports have said.

The New York Times first reported on the matter, citing four people with knowledge of the chat. CNN and Reuters also confirmed the incident after speaking to sources.

The chat was initially set up in January on Hegseth’s device during his rocky confirmation hearing so his closest allies could strategise.

However, long after his confirmation, Hegseth continued to communicate in the chat group, which had more than a dozen people.

Hegseth’s wife, Jennifer, a former Fox News producer, is not a defence department employee but has been photographed alongside her husband in sensitive meetings with foreign leaders — actions that have drawn criticism.

Phil, Hegseth’s brother, and Tim Parlatore, the defence secretary’s lawyer, both work in the Pentagon.

The plans were reported to be shared on March 15—the same day a journalist said he received intelligence about the forthcoming strikes after he was mistakenly added to a separate group chat.

Unlike the first Signal group, whose invitation was sent to Jeffrey Goldberg, the editor of the Atlantic magazine, by Mike Waltz, the national security adviser, the second one – called “Defense | Team Huddle” — was created by Hegseth, according to the New York Times.

Hegseth, however, was one of the members in the first group.

Sean Parnell, spokesperson for the Pentagon, said “there was no classified information in any Signal chat”.

The disclosure also comes as some of Hegseth’s closest advisers have begun sounding the alarm about the secretary’s judgment.

Last week, the defense secretary fired John Ullyot, his former press secretary; Dan Caldwell, his top adviser; Darin Selnick, deputy chief of staff; and Colin Carroll, who served as chief of staff to the deputy secretary of defense.

The officials were fired after an internal leak was discovered.

Parnell accused US media platforms of running with stories from the fired Pentagon staff without confirmation.