Senator Duckworth, a Military Veteran, Calls for Defense Secretary Hegseth’s Resignation
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is under intense scrutiny following revelations that his wife, Jennifer Hegseth, participated in high-level meetings with foreign defense officials where sensitive information was discussed. The Wall Street Journal reported that Jennifer attended discussions at the Pentagon with UK military officials, including UK Secretary of Defense John Healey, and at NATO headquarters in Brussels during a meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group. These meetings involved critical topics such as U.S. military collaboration and support for Ukraine.
Concerns have been raised about Jennifer Hegseth’s presence, as such meetings typically require attendees to possess high-level security clearances. While spouses of defense officials may sometimes receive low-level clearances, it remains unclear whether Jennifer holds any clearance. Her background as a former producer for Fox & Friends, where Pete Hegseth was a co-host, adds to the controversy. The couple married in 2019.
Further complicating matters, reports indicate that Hegseth’s brother, Philip Hegseth, a podcast producer, has accompanied the Defense Secretary on official visits, including a trip to Guantánamo Bay and during Hegseth’s tour of Asia. Philip’s involvement in official events is highly unusual and has prompted questions about potential nepotism within the Department of Defense.
This controversy emerges amid another scandal involving Pete Hegseth’s use of a Signal group chat to discuss military strike plans. The chat, which inadvertently included journalist Jeffrey Goldberg, editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, revealed detailed information about planned airstrikes against Houthi targets in Yemen. Goldberg reported that the messages contained specifics about targets, weapons, and attack sequencing. Hegseth has denied that classified information was shared, stating, “Nobody was texting war plans.”
The exposure of these communications has led to bipartisan calls for accountability. Members of Congress have expressed outrage over the breach, with some demanding investigations and potential repercussions for those involved. Rep. Chris Deluzio (D-Pa.) stated, “This is an outrageous national security breach and heads should roll.”
Former defense officials have emphasized the need for discretion when involving individuals in national security discussions. Chuck Hagel, a former Republican Secretary of Defense, remarked, “If you are going to discuss top secret, national security issues, you have to be very selective. What’s the relevancy of the person you are inviting?”
As investigations proceed, the Department of Defense faces mounting pressure to address these breaches and ensure the integrity of its operations. The involvement of family members in sensitive meetings and the mishandling of classified information raise significant concerns about judgment and protocol at the highest levels of the U.S. defense establishment.
