Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth pushes back against new group chat allegations
- Comments
Secretary Hegseth dismisses new group chat allegations: 'None of this is based in reality'
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth joins 'Fox & Friends' to respond to new group chat allegations, why Pentagon officials were placed on leave amid a leak investigation and one former official's criticism of his leadership at the DOD.
Join Fox News for access to this content You have reached your maximum number of articles. Log in or create an account FREE of charge to continue reading. By entering your email and pushing continue, you are agreeing to Fox News' Terms of Use and Privacy Policy, which includes our Notice of Financial Incentive. Please enter a valid email address. By entering your email and pushing continue, you are agreeing to Fox News' Terms of Use and Privacy Policy, which includes our Notice of Financial Incentive.Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth pushed back against a New York Times report alleging he had shared sensitive details involving a military airstrike against the Iran-backed Houthisin Yemen in a second Signal message chat that included his wife and brother, telling "Fox & Friends" Tuesday that the controversy is an attempt to "sabotage" President Donald Trump's agenda.
"If you remember… I said no one is texting war plans. I said that because I'm in the bowels of the Pentagon every single day… what was shared over Signal then [during the first leak] and now was informal, unclassified coordinations for media coordination [and] other things," he told co-host Brian Kilmeade.
"At the beginning, it was left-wing reporters at The Atlantic who got hold of it and then wanted to create a problem for the president," he continued.
"That's what it's all about. Trying to get at President Trump and his agenda."
HEGSETH SHARED DETAILS OF YEMEN STRIKES IN SECOND SIGNAL CHAT: REPORT
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth looks on before a luncheon with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in the Cabinet Room of the White House, in Washington, DC, on April 17, 2025. (Brendan SMIALOWSKI/AFP)
Hegseth accused "disgruntled former employees" of "trying to save their a--" by peddling stories, arguing that the mainstream media's focus should instead be on "the decimation of the Houthis, how [the U.S. is] pushing back the Chinese, how we have a new defense area at the southern border."
"That's unfortunate," he said. "It's not what I do. It's not how we operate, so you've got another allegation being pushed again. Not based on how we're operating around here. We're for the war fighters, we're for the president, and none of this is based in reality."
Three top Pentagon officials were placed on administrative leave last week as part of the ongoing Defense Department leak investigation.
Colin Carroll, chief of staff to Deputy Secretary of Defense Stephen Feinberg, was escorted out of the building last Wednesday, following Dan Caldwell, senior advisor to Hegseth, and Darin Selnick, deputy chief of staff to Hegseth.
ATLANTIC REPORTER PUBLISHES MORE TEXTS ABOUT ATTACK ON HOUTHI TARGETS
Pentagon employees Dan Caldwell, Colin Carroll and Darin Selnick have been placed on leave amid an ongoing leak investigation. (Fox & Friends)
On Friday evening, those three employees were fired, two defense officials confirmed to Fox News Digital.
"If we think you are leaking to the press, that's a very real problem. We take that very seriously at the Pentagon," Hegseth said.
"I'm here to do one job. One job for the president and the American people. Secure the country. America first. Peace through strength. I don't have time for leakers. I don't have time for the hoax press that peddles old stories from disgruntled employees."
Other moves are happening at the Pentagon. Joe Kasper, Hegseth's chief of staff, will be leaving his position for a different role within the department.
- ·《老人与海》读后感 6
- ·安溪龙涓美味：老菜瓮咸菜飘香
- ·《艾尔登法环》DLC“黄金树之影”开发进展顺利
- ·Vantage Markets成为法拉利F1车队官方合作伙伴
- ·高能警告！《最后的生还者》虐杀乔尔剧版和游戏对比
- ·句句不提累但句句都是累文案 很累的情绪说说
- ·继续出手！网飞或竞标F1美国转播权
- ·爱与活力一起绽放，“高桥·益行益跑”开跑
- ·高校学子暑期下乡探寻传统文化
- ·内心崩溃的个性签名 2024新版一秒就泪崩的签名
- ·360安全软件深度剖析：守护数字安全的得力助手
- ·郑州大学教授范冰冰获国际知名奖学金，“大陆还没有人拿到”
- ·安徽：村规民约“上墙进户” 文明风尚“入眼入心”
- ·新房子实用装修设计方法 装修设计注意事项
- ·这块表情包豆腐最近有点火
- ·360安全软件深度剖析：守护数字安全的得力助手