Hegseth Blasts Media, ‘Disgruntled Former Employees’ Over Signal Controversy
Pete Hegseth pushed back forcefully against media coverage Monday, criticizing both journalists and what he described as “disgruntled former employees” as controversy surrounding the Signal messaging app resurfaced. Speaking to reporters during the traditional Easter Egg Roll at the White House, the defense secretary rejected recent reports alleging he participated in a second Signal conversation that included sensitive information about military operations in Yemen. He also emphasized that he remains aligned with Donald Trump.
Hegseth dismissed the reports as politically motivated, suggesting they surfaced after internal personnel changes. He criticized anonymous sources and said the coverage resembled past media controversies, arguing that such claims were designed to damage reputations. Hegseth added that he remains focused on what he described as reforming the U.S. Department of Defense and strengthening military leadership. He also noted he had spoken directly with Trump and confirmed they were “on the same page” moving forward.
Meanwhile, Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, denied a report from NPR suggesting the administration had begun exploring a replacement for Hegseth. Leavitt called the report inaccurate and reiterated that Trump continues to support the defense secretary. The White House’s rapid response communications team also criticized the report, labeling it misleading and based on anonymous sourcing.
The controversy stems from a series of reports involving the encrypted messaging app Signal. According to reporting from The Atlantic, editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg was inadvertently added to a group chat involving senior administration officials discussing a potential strike against Iran-backed Houthi movement forces. Goldberg later published details of the messages, sparking concerns about operational security.
Additional reporting from The New York Times alleged that Hegseth also discussed aspects of a March military operation targeting Houthi forces in Yemen during another Signal conversation that included family members. These claims intensified scrutiny from lawmakers and prompted calls from several Democrats for Hegseth to step down.
Trump, however, has repeatedly defended Hegseth. Addressing reporters, the president said Hegseth was doing “a great job” and downplayed his role in the controversy. Trump also noted that Mike Waltz, his national security adviser, had taken responsibility for mistakenly adding Goldberg to the original group chat.
Trump further minimized concerns by pointing to the success of the military operation itself. He argued that no harm resulted from the incident and emphasized that the mission achieved its objectives.
Despite ongoing criticism from some lawmakers, the administration continues to stand behind Hegseth. The dispute highlights ongoing tensions over information security, anonymous sourcing, and internal disagreements, while the defense secretary maintains that he will continue focusing on his duties and defense policy priorities.