Hegseth Pushes Back on Media Amid Signal Controversy, Says Trump Support Remains Firm
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth sharply criticized the media and what he described as “disgruntled former employees” on Monday, as scrutiny intensified over his alleged use of the messaging app Signal to discuss sensitive military matters.
Speaking to reporters at the White House during the annual Easter Egg Roll, Hegseth firmly denied reports that he participated in a second Signal chat in which intelligence related to operations in Yemen was disclosed. He dismissed the claims as politically motivated attacks based on anonymous sources.
“What a big surprise that a few leakers get fired and suddenly a bunch of hit pieces come out,” Hegseth said, taking aim at coverage from The New York Times and other outlets. “This is what the media does… they try to ruin reputations. Not going to work with me.”
Hegseth emphasized that he remains aligned with President Donald Trump, stating the two are “on the same page all the way” and will continue working together on defense priorities.
The controversy stems in part from an incident involving Jeffrey Goldberg, editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, who was reportedly added by mistake to a Signal group chat involving senior Trump administration officials discussing a planned strike against Iran-backed Houthi forces in Yemen. Goldberg later published the full messages, fueling concerns about operational security.
Additional reporting from NPR suggested the White House had begun exploring a potential replacement for Hegseth. However, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt dismissed the report as “total fake news,” emphasizing that the president continues to strongly support the defense secretary.
President Trump also downplayed the controversy, noting that National Security Advisor Mike Waltz had taken responsibility for mistakenly adding Goldberg to the chat. Trump argued that the incident did not compromise the mission, highlighting that the military operation was ultimately successful.
“There was no harm done because the attack was unbelievably successful that night,” Trump said, rejecting calls from some Democratic lawmakers for Hegseth’s resignation.
Despite ongoing criticism, the administration has continued to defend Hegseth, framing the situation as a media-driven controversy rather than a substantive breach of security.
