Hegseth fends off reporter’s questions about Signal chat leak: ‘I know exactly what I’m doing’
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OregonSen.RonWydencalledforNationalSecurityAdvisorMichaelWaltzandDefenseSecretaryPeteHegsethtoresignafterareporterwasaddedtoaSignaltextchainwithnationalsecurityinformation.
DefenseSecretary PeteHegsethonTuesdayfendedoffareporter’squestionsaboutaleakedSignalchatgroupinvolvingTrumpadministrationofficialsdiscussingforthcomingstrikesontheHouthisinYemen.
HegsethwasaskedduringapressgaggleinHawaiiiftheinformationwasdeclassifiedbeforeheputitintheSignalchatandifhewasusingthemessagingplatformtodiscussoperationsassensitiveasthestrikesagainsttheHouthisonagovernmentorapersonaldevice.
JeffreyGoldberg,theeditor-in-chiefofTheAtlantic,saidhereceivedarequesttojointhegroupchatontheencryptedmessagingserviceSignalonMarch11fromwhatappearedtobethepresident’sNationalSecurityAdvisorMichaelWaltz.Goldbergreleasedscreenshotsofsomeofthemessageexchangesheobserved.
Goldbergreportedthatofficialsweredi