Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reportedly shared classified details about US military strikes in Yemen via a private Signal group chat that included his wife and brother, according to a New York Times report.
The revelation comes on the heels of claims by The Atlantic’s editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg, who previously said he was added to a Signal group involving top US security officials discussing operations in Yemen.
Classified flight schedules shared
The NYT report states that Hegseth used a second Signal chat to share flight schedules for F/A-18 Hornets involved in the strikes against Houthi targets. The message was reportedly sent on March 15. The recipients included his wife, Jennifer Rauchet, brother Phil Hegseth, and his personal attorney, Tim Parlatore.
Civilian access raises security concerns
Jennifer Rauchet, a former Fox News producer, is not employed by the Defense Department. Though not an official, her inclusion in a group with such sensitive information raises concerns.
Other members with ties to Pentagon
Phil Hegseth and Tim Parlatore reportedly hold positions within the Pentagon, though their access to the type of detailed operational data shared by Hegseth has not been officially confirmed.
Echoes of earlier allegations
This latest disclosure mirrors Jeffrey Goldberg’s earlier assertion that he was accidentally added to a Signal group where senior US officials were casually discussing classified operations. The NYT noted that the flight schedule information Hegseth shared closely matched the material Goldberg claimed to have seen.
As of now, neither the Pentagon nor Hegseth has issued a public response to the report.
