White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Monday that President Donald Trump fully supports Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth following a report of a second Signal chat issue that occurred in March regarding military operations.
The New York Times reported, based on four unnamed sources, that in addition to the Signal chat initiated by Trump’s national security advisor Mike Waltz before a strike on Houthi rebels in Yemen, Hegseth also started a chat of his own that included about a dozen people from his inner circle, among them his wife Jennifer, his brother Phil, and lawyer Tim Parlatore.
The latter two work in the Pentagon, but Jennifer, a former Fox News producer, does not, though she accompanied him on some trips overseas and sat in on some meetings with foreign leaders. Hegseth created the chat group titled “Defense | Team Huddle” in January, before his confirmation as Secretary of Defense.
According to the Times, the chat group had also included Hegseth’s chief of staff, Joe Kasper (who is leaving his position for another role in the Defense Department), as well as former senior advisers Dan Caldwell and Darin Selnick. Both Caldwell and Selnick were fired on Friday for allegedly leaking unauthorized information.
Recently departed Pentagon spokesperson John Ullyot wrote in a Sunday opinion piece for Politico that “the building is in disarray under Hegseth’s leadership.”
“The president deserves better than the current mishegoss at the Pentagon. Given his record of holding prior Cabinet leaders accountable, many in the secretary’s own inner circle will applaud quietly if Trump chooses to do the same in short order at the top of the Defense Department,” he added.
However, Leavitt told Fox News Monday morning, “The President stands strongly behind Secretary Hegseth, who is doing a phenomenal job leading the Pentagon.”
“Unfortunately, there have been people at that building who don’t like the change the secretary is trying to bring, so they are leaking, and they are lying to the mainstream media. We’ve seen this game played before,” she added.
.@PressSec: “The President stands strongly behind @SecDef @PeteHegseth, who is doing a phenomenal job leading the Pentagon.” pic.twitter.com/8exZQSJr5a
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) April 21, 2025
Should the Trump administration stop using the Signal messaging app?
Hegseth responded to the controversy Monday, saying, “What a big surprise that a few leakers get fired and suddenly a bunch of hit pieces come out from the same media that peddled the Russia hoax.”
“This is what the media does. They take anonymous sources from disgruntled former employees, and then they try to slash and burn people and ruin their reputations. Not gonna work with me, because we’re changing the Defense Department, putting the Pentagon back in the hands of warfighters,” he said.
🚨 Secretary Pete Hegseth just spent 90 seconds absolutely FILLETING the fake news media
“What a big surprise! A few leakers get fired and a few hit pieces come out from the same media that peddled the Russia hoax!”
“This is what the media does. They take anonymous sources from… pic.twitter.com/6TJRQEDyna
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) April 21, 2025
Chief Pentagon Spokesman Sean Parnell also released a statement, saying, “Another day, another old story — back from the dead.”
“This time, the New York Times — and all other Fake News that repeat their garbage — are enthusiastically taking the grievances of disgruntled former employees as the sole sources for their article,” he continued.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
4/20/25STATEMENT:
Another day, another old story—back from the dead. The Trump-hating media continues to be obsessed with destroying anyone committed to President Trump’s agenda. This time, the New York Times — and all other Fake News that repeat their…
— Sean Parnell (@SeanParnellATSD) April 21, 2025
There was no classified information in any Signal chat, no matter how many ways they try to write the story,” Parnell wrote.
“What is true is that the Office of the Secretary of Defense is continuing to become stronger and more efficient in executing President Trump’s agenda.”
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