Trump Officials Blame Defence Secretary Hegseth for Sharing Sensitive Yemen Strike Details in Group Chat

Top intelligence leaders deny classified material breach, but all eyes turn to Hegseth over group messages containing potential military strike specifics

Washington, DC [US], March 26: Top national security officials from former President Donald Trump’s administration have shifted focus toward Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, placing the responsibility on him for allegedly sharing sensitive operational details of U.S. military strikes in Yemen during a private group chat that included a journalist, according to a CNN report.

Appearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee, CIA Director John Ratcliffe and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard denied that the chat contained classified intelligence, asserting that no materials under their jurisdiction required classification. However, both deferred to Hegseth when questioned about whether his specific messages—reportedly outlining targets, weapons, and strike timing—were classified under Department of Defense (DoD) guidelines.

“The Secretary of Defense is the original classification authority,” Ratcliffe explained. “From what I understand, he has said the information was not classified.”

While defending their agencies, Ratcliffe and Gabbard suggested that any concerns about improper disclosure should fall under Hegseth’s authority, as he has the power to classify or declassify military operational details.

The controversy stems from a Signal group chat—a commercial encrypted messaging app not approved for classified communication—where participants reportedly included Hegseth, Ratcliffe, Gabbard, and journalist Jeffrey Goldberg of The Atlantic.

Although Gabbard claimed she couldn’t recall the full contents of the chat, she acknowledged that it included “a discussion around targets in general.” The National Security Council (NSC) has since confirmed that authentic messages in the chat did, in fact, contain precise strike data.

While some, like Sen. Tom Cotton, highlighted a distinction between defense-related classified material and intelligence community data, others, including Republican Rep. Don Bacon, pointed fingers squarely at Hegseth.

“The most accountable—or the most guilty—person is the Secretary of Defense because he put in all the highly classified information,” Bacon told CNN.

For his part, Hegseth brushed off concerns during a media interaction at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, saying, “Nobody was texting war plans,” while criticizing Goldberg as “deceitful and highly discredited.”

President Trump, when asked about the matter, said he had been assured that no classified information was shared but did not clarify who provided that assurance.

While the Senate hearing may not result in immediate consequences, it highlights serious questions about how sensitive military deliberations are communicated, especially when involving unauthorized platforms and non-government participants.

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Tags: Trump administration, Pete Hegseth, Yemen strikes, US military, classified information, Signal app, Senate Intelligence Committee, John Ratcliffe, Tulsi Gabbard, Jeffrey Goldberg, National Security Council, group chat controversy, CNN report

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