Overview

• Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is under scrutiny for sharing sensitive military details in a second Signal chat that included his wife, brother, and personal lawyer.
• The Pentagon's acting inspector general is investigating Hegseth's compliance with communication protocols, with potential DOJ referrals for alleged leaks underway.
• Hegseth defends the messages as 'informal, unclassified coordination,' while accusing fired Pentagon staff of orchestrating leaks to undermine him and President Trump.
• President Trump continues to support Hegseth, dismissing the controversy as a 'smear campaign,' though some Republican lawmakers have joined Democrats in questioning his leadership.
• The scandal has highlighted broader concerns about operational security, Pentagon dysfunction, and the use of unapproved messaging apps for military communications.