Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth is facing a wave of backlash after reports surfaced that he shared military plans in an unclassified Signal chat, allegedly including a journalist in the conversation. While Secretary Hegseth has dismissed the allegations, calling them media exaggerations, critics argue that the incident represents a serious breach of national security.
“Nobody was texting war plans,” Hegseth said recently in response to the controversy, pushing back against claims that sensitive military information was improperly shared.
However, the criticism has been swift, particularly from congressional Democrats. Texas Rep. Joaquin Castro (D) condemned the incident, emphasizing the risks posed to U.S. national security and military personnel.
“Senior Trump administration officials, including the Vice President, Secretary of State, Secretary of Defense, and CIA Director, discussed military strikes on an unclassified group chat. They even accidentally invited a journalist to that chat,” Rep. Castro wrote on X.
Senior Trump administration officials, including the Vice President, Secretary of State, Secretary of Defense, and CIA Director, discussed military strikes on an unclassified group chat. They even accidentally invited a journalist to that chat.
This is reckless behavior that… https://t.co/bsfLOdDGMF
— Joaquin Castro (@JoaquinCastrotx) March 24, 2025
“This is reckless behavior that directly jeopardizes U.S. national security and the safety of our servicemembers in the Middle East. This should stun all Americans regardless of political party. Every single government official on this group chat needs to be held accountable,” he further commented.
The controversy has renewed concerns about how military leadership handles classified and sensitive information. Security experts warn that even discussions on unclassified platforms can expose military strategy to adversaries.
The Trump Administration has yet to respond to calls for accountability, and the situation is likely to fuel further scrutiny of Secretary Hegseth’s leadership and the Trump administration’s handling of military communications.
Secretary Hillary Clinton (D), who faced similar criticism during the 2016 presidential election, also weighed in on the controversy on social media, writing “you have hot to be kidding me.”
👀 You have got to be kidding me.https://t.co/IhhvFvw6DG pic.twitter.com/bnNG4dGSpI
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) March 24, 2025
