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.
- ·综漫：人在美食猎人，加入聊天群
- ·“悟空”爆火！专家提醒：当心光敏性癫痫
- ·增长8.5%！全国物流园区总数2769家 领跑者揭晓→
- ·久尔杰维奇接近新国青帅位 带队理念和态度深得认可
- ·英伟达利润大增80% 黄仁勋感叹：Blackwell需求惊人
- ·恒安集团创始人许连捷逝世
- ·小镇惊魂第二章流程攻略
- ·上海申花遭FIFA处罚：自4月17日起 3个窗口禁止转会注册
- ·[通用]外出考察报告
- ·节后刮油解腻的清爽小菜 凉拌黄瓜条
- ·华北多地全力以赴应对强降雨保障民生 多个预警已解除
- ·北京市教委：秋季学期起义务教育学校学生课间10分钟延长至15分钟
- ·感觉自己很焦虑的说说 越来越焦虑的心情短句
- ·北方降水过程持续 川渝高温酷热天气短期内难缓解
- ·插排姐喊话粉丝不要骚扰她 拒绝一切骚扰行为
- ·湖北马术主力队员于程昊：马术让我坚韧善良 未来选择回馈母校武汉商学院