US Defense Secretary’s Text Blunder Sparks National Security Crisis

U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth is facing calls for his resignation after accidentally sending highly classified military information to a journalist through an old group chat.

On March 15, hours before the world learned the United States was launching airstrikes against Houthi rebels in Yemen, Hegseth shared details of the operation with Jeffry Goldberg, editor-in-chief of The Atlantic. The message, intended for senior national-security officials, included sensitive information about the timing of the attack, weapons to be used, and specific targets. Goldberg revealed he received the message at 11:44 a.m., nearly two hours before the first bombs fell.

The mistake appears to have stemmed from an encrypted Signal group chat called “Houthi PC small group,” which was created for coordination on Houthi operations. Hegseth, a former Fox News personality, reportedly added Goldberg to the chat by mistake, failing to notice his inclusion among senior officials like Vice-President J.D. Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The group was formed days earlier under the direction of National Security Adviser Michael Waltz.

The blunder has sparked a political firestorm in Washington, with members of Congress demanding Hegseth’s resignation. The White House is facing mounting pressure to address the breach, which critics argue jeopardized U.S. national security. Despite the backlash, the Department of Defense has yet to comment publicly on whether Hegseth will remain in his post.