Pete Hegseth Signal chat row: Who was in the group and what information was shared?

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth shared key Yemen attack details with his wife, Jennifer Rauchet, brother Phil, and personal lawyer, Tim Parlatore

Published on: Apr 21, 2025, 03:40:51 IST

By Yash Nitish Bajaj

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Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth shared key Yemen attack details with his wife, Jennifer Rauchet, brother Phil, and personal lawyer, Tim Parlatore, on March 15, The New York Times reported, citing sources. This comes weeks after Hegseth and other officials mistakenly added The Atlantic's editor-in-chief, Jeffrey Goldberg, to a Signal chat group where they allegedly discussed Yemen war plans.

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reportedly shared Yemen plans in a Signal chat with his wife (AFP)

The NYT reported on Sunday that Hegseth shared similar plans with his wife, brother, and personal lawyer in a separate Signal chat group.

Who was in the Signal group?

Pete Hegseth: The Defense Secretary shared sensitive information via Signal, the New York Times reported. A former Fox News host and Trump appointee, Hegseth is yet to respond to the latest Signal scandal.

Jennifer Rauchet: Hegseth’s wife, a former Fox News producer, is not a Defense Department employee. Despite this, she has accompanied Hegseth on overseas trips and was included in the second Signal chat.

Phil Hegseth: Pete Hegseth’s brother, who works in the Pentagon as a Department of Homeland Security liaison to the Department of Defense.

Tim Parlatore: Hegseth’s personal lawyer, also employed at the Pentagon.

What information was shared

On March 15, 2025, Hegseth shared specific flight schedules for F/A-18 Hornet jets involved in the Yemen strikes against the Houthis. The New York Times reported that this information mirrored details Goldberg had accessed, including operational timings. An official told the NYT: “Nothing classified was ever discussed on that chat."

Last month, The Atlantic’s editor-in-chief, Jeffrey Goldberg, said he was accidentally added to this group, revealing details of a planned US air strike on Yemen targeting Houthi rebels. The discussion included strategic planning, though Hegseth and Gabbard later claimed no classified information was shared, with Hegseth stating, “Nobody was texting war plans,” and Gabbard echoing this at a Senate hearing.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yash Nitish Bajaj
Yash Bajaj is a Chief Content Producer with a strong foundation in US coverage, digital strategy, and audience-focused storytelling. As part of the US Desk at Hindustan Times, he covers a wide range of topics - from American politics to sports (NFL, NBA, derbies, MLB and more). Before joining Hindustan Times, Yash served as Deputy News Editor at Times Now, where he oversaw international coverage and led a team of six. In this role, he significantly expanded global traffic through strategic planning, SEO-driven content execution, and meticulous trend tracking across platforms. He is experienced in managing high-pressure breaking-news shifts, coordinating live coverage, and building newsroom systems that improve speed, accuracy, and reach. Prior to Times Now, Yash held a position at Opoyi, where he headed the Sports and US news team. He developed broad editorial strategies, guided reporters across multiple beats, and played a key role in recruiting and training new talent. His responsibilities also extended to social media management and experimenting with innovative content formats. A passionate NFL fan, Yash is a die-hard supporter of the Cincinnati Bengals and has followed Joe Burrow closely since his college days at LSU. Whether breaking down top players' latest performance, analyzing team performances, or tracking roster moves, he brings the same dedication and sharp storytelling to his sports coverage as he does to American politics and breaking news. When he’s not writing, Yash can often be found watching games or debating the latest NFL storylines with fellow fans. Yash holds a Bachelor of Mass Media (Journalism) from HR College, Mumbai University. His interests extend well beyond the newsroom: he is an enthusiastic explorer of AI tools, a movie buff with an ever-growing watchlist, and someone who enjoys unraveling conspiracy theories for fun.Read More

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