Defense Secretary Pete Hegses denied text message war plans
US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegses has denied the text-message war plan to journalists from the Atlantic.
WASHINGTON – Top House Democrats on the military, intelligence news, foreign affairs and government oversight committees are requesting responses from senior Trump administration officials on the leak of Defense Secretary Pete Hegses’ secret attacks on Yemen’s Iran-backed extremists.
The release of National Security Secrets came when Trump administration officials included Atlantic editor Jeffrey Goldberg in a group chat on commercial messaging app signals that appeared in preparation for a series of airstrikes by Houthi Rebels on March 15th.
Among the nine questions contained in the letter to Hegseth is a request for information regarding whether the leak “may undermine the safety of members of the US military or members of the US allies or partners.”
“We are deeply plagued by the Atlantic report that via open source signal messaging services, you and other Trump administration officials have awarded “precise information, timing, and timing” about military action against Houthis, including “accurate information on weapons packages, targets, and timing” on today’s US-acquired letters.
The letter was written by Rep. Adam Smith, a ranking member of the Armed Services Committee. Rep. Gregory Meek is a ranking member of the Foreign Affairs Committee. Rep. Jim Himes is a ranking member of the Intelligence Committee. Rep. Gerald Connolly, a ranking member of the Committee on the Surveillance and Government Reform. Republicans control the House and leave Democrats without the ability to call hearings on security breaches.
The classified war plans were inadvertently sent to journalists
Atlantic editor Jeffrey Goldberg revealed that he was accidentally added to a group chat with top officials detailing the misclassified war plans.
Instead, in their letter, lawmakers are seeking responses from Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Director of National Intelligence, and Mike Waltz, National Security Advisor to President Donald Trump.
Trump administration officials have admitted that the chats reported by the Atlantic are authentic. The Department of Defense has refused to comment on Hegzes’ role as he leaked sensitive information and mentioned the National Security Council.
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Lawmakers are particularly concerned that the best communications rely on unapproved encrypted commercial messaging apps, the lawmakers wrote.
“These actions may have breached the operational security of related military activities and compromised the safety of the relevant service members,” the lawmaker wrote.
Later Monday, US officials called the leak a violation practice and law, adding that it is likely that lower officials were fired immediately for the violation. The official spoke on condition of anonymity.
