Pete Hegseth, the US defence secretary, is facing fresh scrutiny after reports emerged that his wife attended two high-level meetings with foreign defence officials where sensitive information was discussed. The Wall Street Journal reported on Friday that Jennifer Hegseth was present at a Pentagon meeting with UK defence secretary John Healey in early March, and at a Nato meeting in Brussels in mid-February.
The meetings took place amid heightened tensions over US intelligence-sharing with Ukraine. The first meeting occurred a day after the US announced it would stop sharing military intelligence with Kyiv. The second was part of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, a forum of about 50 nations coordinating military support for Ukraine.
While a defence secretary has discretion to invite guests, officials cited by the Journal noted that attendees typically require high-level security clearances. It is unclear whether Jennifer Hegseth, a former Fox & Friends producer, holds any clearance. Hegseth also brought his brother, Philip Hegseth, a podcast producer, on official visits, including to Guantánamo Bay and a current Asia tour.
The report adds to pressure on Hegseth, who is already under fire for detailing military strike plans in a Signal group chat. Multiple Democrats have called for his resignation, and a bipartisan group of senators has requested an inquiry. The Pentagon has blamed the leak on national security adviser Mike Waltz, but Hegseth’s judgment has been questioned.
Former defence secretary Chuck Hagel told the Journal that officials must be “very selective” about whom they invite to discuss top-secret issues. A Pentagon spokesperson said the Journal’s story would be “filled with inaccuracies”. A federal judge has ordered Hegseth and others to preserve all Signal messages.
