Washington, March 28, 2026 — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth pushed back forcefully against recent media reports on Monday, rejecting allegations connected to a Signal messaging app controversy while attending the White House Easter Egg Roll.
Speaking to reporters, Hegseth dismissed claims that he participated in a second Signal group chat in which he allegedly shared intelligence-related information concerning U.S. operations against Iran-backed Houthi forces in Yemen. He characterized the reports as politically motivated attacks fueled by anonymous sources and disgruntled former employees.
“It’s no surprise that after a few leakers are removed, a wave of negative stories suddenly appears from the same media outlets that promoted the Russia collusion narrative,” Hegseth said. “This is a familiar pattern—anonymous accusations from former staff members who are unhappy with the changes taking place. It’s not going to stop us from reforming the Defense Department and putting the Pentagon’s focus back on supporting warfighters.”
Hegseth, who attended the event alongside his father and children, also emphasized that he remains fully aligned with President Donald Trump. According to the Defense Secretary, he recently spoke with the president and reaffirmed their shared commitment to the administration’s defense agenda.
“We’re moving forward together,” Hegseth said. “We’re on the same page and will continue fighting for our priorities.”
His remarks came amid growing speculation regarding his future in the administration. The White House responded strongly to an NPR report suggesting officials were considering potential replacements for the Defense Secretary. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt dismissed the report as “completely false,” arguing that it relied on a single anonymous source and reiterating that President Trump continues to support Hegseth.
The administration’s Rapid Response team echoed that message on social media, criticizing the report and denying that any effort is underway to replace the Defense Secretary.
The controversy traces back to an earlier Signal group chat that mistakenly included The Atlantic editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg. Additional reporting by The New York Times later alleged that Hegseth discussed operational details in a separate messaging group that included family members.
The allegations have prompted criticism from Democratic lawmakers, some of whom have called for Hegseth’s resignation. However, President Trump has repeatedly defended him, maintaining that the Yemen operation was successful and arguing that no damage resulted from the communications controversy.
“There was no harm done because the mission was extraordinarily successful,” Trump said in previous remarks, while attributing the accidental inclusion of Goldberg in the original chat to National Security Adviser Mike Waltz.
As debate over the messaging incidents continues, the administration has remained publicly united, with both Trump and senior White House officials reaffirming their support for Hegseth and rejecting calls for his removal.
