Chicago – April 21, 2025
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reportedly shared detailed plans for a military strike against the Houthis in Yemen through a second Signal group chat on his personal phone, which included his wife, lawyer, and brother, according to three individuals familiar with the chat.
The chat was originally created during Hegseth’s contentious confirmation hearings as a space for close allies to strategize, two sources said. However, he continued using it to communicate even after being confirmed. The group reportedly grew to over a dozen members.
This disclosure comes amid growing concerns from Hegseth’s inner circle about his decision-making. His former press secretary, John Ullyot, along with three senior officials recently dismissed by Hegseth, Dan Caldwell, Darin Selnick, and Colin Carroll, have raised alarms. Ullyot called the situation at the Pentagon “a month of total chaos,” citing leaks of sensitive information and mass firings, and stated that the dysfunction is distracting the president. He also criticized Hegseth in a Politico op-ed published Sunday.
This second Signal group is separate from another one Hegseth used last month to coordinate with Cabinet members about military actions, which is now under investigation by the Pentagon’s acting inspector general.
Similar to the first chat , which became public when The Atlantic’s editor was accidentally included by national security adviser Mike Waltz, this second group also involved discussions of military operations targeting the Houthis. Hegseth’s brother Phil and lawyer Tim Parlatore both work at the Department of Defense, while his wife Jennifer, who does not hold a position there, had previously attended meetings with foreign leaders early in Hegseth’s tenure. It’s unclear whether all participants in the chat held security clearances.
Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell stated on Sunday via Twitter that no classified information was shared in any Signal chats.
