Hegseth Accused of Blaming Aides in Leak

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is facing criticism for attempting to deflect blame in the wake of reports detailing his use of an unsecured messaging app to share sensitive military information. The New York Times revealed Sunday that Hegseth utilized Signal – for a second instance – to disseminate details regarding a Houthi airstrike to his wife, brother, and legal counsel.

During a Tuesday morning appearance on Fox & Friends, Hegseth accused former colleagues of leaking information and sabotaging the president’s agenda, claiming the Signal communications contained only “informal, unclassified coordinations.” This attempt to shift responsibility has drawn sharp rebuke from analysts.

CNN’s Natasha Bertrand characterized Hegseth’s interview as a clear effort to “throw these former aides very much under the bus” and downplay the severity of sharing sensitive military operation details via an unsecure channel.

Former Pentagon deputy press secretary Sabrina Singh further emphasized the implausibility of Hegseth’s claims, stating that former aides were unlikely to have authored the detailed operational information shared on Signal. She pointed out the contradiction in Hegseth’s admission of regularly reviewing war plans and then transmitting that same information on an unclassified platform.

Singh expressed concern over the lack of accountability for Hegseth’s actions, labeling his behavior as “deeply troubling.” The incident raises serious questions about security protocols and the handling of classified information within the Department of Defense. While Hegseth attempts to portray himself as a victim of leaks, the evidence suggests a pattern of reckless behavior and a concerning disregard for established security procedures. The focus on blaming subordinates appears to be a calculated move to protect his own position, rather than address the underlying security breach.