Several Top Pentagon Officials Suspended, Including Aide to Defense Secretary
Washington (USA) : The Pentagon is currently in turmoil following the “Signal Chat Leak Scandal” involving U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. As the investigation into the incident unfolds, several top Pentagon officials have been suspended — including close aides to Hegseth himself.
According to a report by The New York Times, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth shared sensitive information about attacks in Yemen in a private encrypted group chat on Signal. Participants in the chat included his wife, brother, and personal attorney. Notably, the leaked messages reportedly included flight schedules of F/A-18 Hornets targeting Houthi positions in Yemen.
On March 15, Hegseth allegedly shared this detailed information in a private Signal group. Four people familiar with the chat revealed that it contained specifics on military operations. On the same day, Hegseth accidentally forwarded another Signal chat to the editor of The Atlantic, compounding the controversy.
According to ABC News, officials stated that Hegseth created the chat group on his personal phone. His wife, Jennifer Hegseth, holds no official position in the Department of Defense. His brother, Phil Hegseth, is a senior advisor at the Department of Homeland Security but is currently assigned to the Pentagon. Hegseth’s personal lawyer, Tim Parlatore, is a Navy reservist stationed at the Pentagon and works in the defense secretary’s office.
In response, Pentagon chief spokesperson Sean Parnell issued a statement Sunday night on X (formerly Twitter), saying that the “Trump-hating media” is sensationalizing the issue. He added that no classified information was shared in any Signal chats and emphasized that the Defense Secretary’s office is firmly executing President Trump’s agenda.
Meanwhile, Steven Stebbins, the acting Inspector General of the Pentagon, has informed the Defense Secretary that a formal investigation has begun. In light of the scandal, several top aides to Pete Hegseth — Dan Caldwell, Colin Carroll, and Darin Selnick — have been suspended.
The matter further escalated after a revealing article by John Ullyot, former top Pentagon spokesperson, was published in Politico on Sunday. In it, he described a month-long period of chaos within the Pentagon. He wrote, “From leaks of sensitive operational plans to mass suspensions, this disarray has now become a major obstacle for the President.” Ullyot also confirmed the suspension of the three officials and suggested that, under current circumstances, it may be difficult for Hegseth to continue in his role for much longer.
