WASHINGTON: US Protection Secretary Pete Hegseth shared data on forthcoming US air strikes on Yemen in a non-public Sign chat group that included his spouse, brother and private lawyer, the New York Occasions reported on Sunday (Apr 20).
AFP was not in a position to independently confirm the Occasions’ report, which detailed what could be the second time Hegseth has been accused of sharing delicate navy data on the business messaging app with unauthorised personnel.
Final month, The Atlantic journal revealed that its editor-in-chief was inadvertently included in a Sign chat wherein officers together with Hegseth and Nationwide Safety Advisor Mike Waltz discussed the strikes, which happened on Mar 15.
The revelation sparked an uproar, with US President Donald Trump’s administration going through a scandal over the accidental leak. A Pentagon Inspector-Basic’s probe into that leak is ongoing.
On Sunday, the Occasions reported that Hegseth had shared data on the identical March 15 strikes with the second Sign group chat.
The data shared “included the flight schedules for the F/A-18 Hornets concentrating on the Houthis in Yemen”, the newspaper reported.
The outlet stated that, not like the unintentional leak the place journalist Jeffrey Goldberg was mistakenly included within the group, this group chat was created by Hegseth. The opposite chat was initiated by Waltz.
“It included his spouse and a few dozen different individuals from his private {and professional} internal circle in January, earlier than his affirmation as protection secretary,” the Occasions’ reported, citing unnamed sources.
Hegseth’s spouse Jennifer is a journalist and former Fox Information producer. The group additionally included his brother Phil and Tim Parlatore, each of whom serve in roles on the Pentagon.
Parlatore additionally continues to function Hegseth’s private lawyer, the Occasions reported.
The Pentagon didn’t instantly reply to an AFP request for remark.
