White House Insists Hegseth is Doing 'Phenomenal' Following Reports He Shared Military Strike Plans in Signal Chat With His Wife

The White House is defending Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth as "phenomenal," despite reports revealing that he shared sensitive details about U.S. military strikes in Yemen in a Signal group chat that included his wife and other non-government individuals.

The controversy began after multiple reports, including from The New York Times and The Atlantic, detailed how Hegseth disclosed operational plans for U.S. airstrikes in Yemen on March 15, in two separate Signal app chats, the New York Times reported.

One chat, mistakenly shared with The Atlantic's editor, and another, privately created by Hegseth himself, included his wife, brother, personal attorney and others with no security clearance. The revelations come just months after Hegseth was confirmed as defense secretary.

Despite growing criticism and internal Pentagon unrest, the Trump administration is firmly backing Hegseth. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt claimed on "Fox & Friends" that the backlash is part of a broader resistance from within the Pentagon against the reforms Hegseth is pushing, according to Politico.

Hegseth "is doing phenomenal leading the Pentagon," Leavitt said.

The White House and Defense Department maintain that no classified information was shared, though some lawmakers and national security experts argue that the specifics Hegseth revealed — including flight times and aircraft types — would typically be considered classified.

The Pentagon's acting inspector general has launched an investigation into Hegseth's use of unclassified communications for military matters, with the probe expanding to include the Signal chat that involved his wife and inner circle.

Originally published on Latin Times