'Nobody Was Texting War Plans': Hegseth Denies Mishandling Classified Data Amid Leaked Signal Chat

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has denied any wrongdoing regarding the handling of classified information, rejecting accusations that he had shared sensitive war plans in a Signal chat between high-ranking Trump administration officials.

Hegseth tried to discredit Jeffrey Goldberg, the editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, who in an explosive report revealed how he was added to the chat group, where Hegseth discussed airstrike targets against Houthi fighters in Yemen, according to Politico.

Speaking to reporters as he arrived in Hawaii for a weeklong trip to Asia, Hegseth denied mishandling classified information. He acknowledged the chat but denied that it contained war plans. "Nobody was texting war plans," he said, further criticizing Goldberg, calling him a "professional hoax peddler."

"You're talking about a deceitful and highly discredited so-called journalist who's made a profession of peddling hoaxes," Hegseth said about Goldberg, a well-regarded Washington reporter and editor. "This is a guy who peddles in garbage."

The leaked chat, which was set up for planning military actions against Houthi fighters in Yemen, involved key figures like Vice President JD Vance, National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, and CIA Director John Ratcliffe.

Goldberg's report revealed that on March 13, he was unexpectedly added to a Signal messaging group named "Houthi PC small group."

In this chat, Waltz directed his deputy, Alex Wong, to create a "tiger team" to coordinate U.S. actions against the Houthis. The discussions escalated following President Donald Trump's decision to launch a series of airstrikes against the Houthis due to their threats to Red Sea shipping.

In the conversation, Hegseth allegedly shared details of airstrikes targeting Houthi forces, a discussion that may have violated federal law related to handling sensitive government information.

Goldberg Responds

Goldberg responded, calling Hegseth's statement a "lie" during an interview on CNN, insisting, "He was texting war plans," Reuters reported.

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the National Security Council, Brian Hughes, confirmed that the messages in the group chat appeared "to be an authentic message chain" and stated that they would review how Goldberg was added to the chat.

"At this time, the message thread that was reported appears to be authentic, and we are reviewing how an inadvertent number was added to the chain," he said.

Concerns Over Mishandling Of Sensitive Data

The group chat, organized by Waltz before a major bombing campaign against the Houthis, discussed military actions, including potential airstrikes. These strikes, which were carried out on March 15, were part of a broader U.S. response to the Houthis' attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea.

Hours before the strikes, Hegseth shared critical details about the planned military action, including targets, weapons to be used, and attack strategies. These details were likely classified, raising concerns over the potential mishandling of sensitive data.

The controversy has led to scrutiny within the Trump administration, with White House officials questioning the future of Waltz.

Senator Jack Reed, a Democrat from Rhode Island and the ranking member of the Armed Services Committee, condemned the situation, calling it "one of the most egregious failures of operational security and common sense I have ever seen."