Pete Hegseth Reportedly Shared Sensitive Information In Signal Chat Despite Getting It From An Email Labeled 'SECRET'

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reportedly shared highly sensitive information related to an attack against Yemen's Houthi rebels in a Signal chat that he got from an email labeled "SECRET."

The Washington Post noted that its report contradicts claims by the Trump administration that no classified information was shared in the messaging app, which got Hegseth in hot water earlier this year.

The messages, shared in two different Signal groups, were posted by an account associated with Hegseth on March 15 shortly before the attack was conducted. It involved strike plans shared by Gen. Michael Kurilla, the commander overseeing U.S. military operations in the Middle East, in a classified email.

The email was also labeled "NOFORN," meaning it was not meant to be seen by anyone who was a foreign national. The email was sent over a classified system.

Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell rejected the reporting, telling the outlet that it "stands behind its previous statements: no classified information was shared via Signal,"

"As we've said repeatedly, nobody was texting war plans and the success of the Department's recent operations — from Operation Rough Rider to Operation Midnight Hammer — are proof that our operational security and discipline are top notch," he added.

Politico reported earlier this month that two top Hegseth aides are being investigated for their roles in the controversy known as "Signalgate." It added that the Defense Department Inspector General's office in April opened an investigation to determine whether Hegseth violated agency standards with his actions.

As part of the investigation, the office is also looking into whether senior aide Ricky Buria helped Hegseth set up an unsecured internet line that bypassed the agency's security protocols, allowing him to access the app, which is not approved for government use.

Hegseth has surrounded by controversies since the beginning of his tenure. Back in April, some of the Defense Secretary's closest allies, Dan Caldwell, Colin Carroll and Darin Selnick, were escorted out of the Pentagon in connection with an investigation into allegations of a leak of sensitive information.