Pete Hegseth Shared Sensitive Details of Airstrike in Signal Chat with Wife and Magazine Editor
NEWS & RESEARCH
On March 15, 2025, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth shared sensitive military attack plans with his wife, brother, and personal lawyer in a private Signal group chat. He shared verbatim plans received over secured lines from CENTCOM commander General Erik Kurilla. This unauthorized disclosure across two separate Signal groups follows a similar incident where The Atlantic’s editor-in-chief, Jeffrey Goldberg, was inadvertently added to an official administration chat discussing Yemen airstrike plans. Department of Defense policy, specifically DoD Instruction 8170.01, prohibits the use of personal devices and non-approved, commercial messaging apps.
SOURCES: NPR | New York Times
ANALYSIS & OPINION
Democratic leaders called for Hegseth's resignation, arguing his actions endangered U.S. servicemembers. Sen. Tammy Duckworth demanded that not only should Hegseth resign but that everyone on the text chain should be fired. As of May 2026, numerous Democratic lawmakers—including Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand and Duckworth, and Reps. John Larson, Jason Crow, and the New Democrat Coalition—have formally demanded his firing or resignation as a national security threat.
SOURCES: TIME | New Democrat Coalition
HOW TO FIX IT
Support the Cedar Key Progress organization supporting the demand that Hegseth resign.
Consider charging Hegseth under 18 U.S.C § 793(f) of the Espionage Act, which criminalizes “gross negligence” in the handling of national defense information.
