Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth pushed back forcefully against the media and what he called “disgruntled former employees” on Monday amid renewed scrutiny over his use of the Signal messaging app. Speaking to reporters at the White House during the traditional Easter Egg Roll, Hegseth dismissed recent reports of a second Signal chat in which he allegedly shared sensitive details about U.S. military strikes against Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen. He insisted that he and President Donald Trump remain fully aligned.
“What a big surprise that a few leakers get fired and suddenly a bunch of hit pieces come out from the same media that peddled the Russia hoax,” Hegseth said in response to a New York Times story. “This is what the media does. They take anonymous sources from disgruntled former employees, and then they try to slash and burn people and ruin their reputations. Not going to work with me, because we’re changing the Defense Department, putting the Pentagon back in the hands of war-fighters. And anonymous smears from disgruntled former employees on old news doesn’t matter. So I’m happy to be here at the Easter Egg Roll with my dad and my kids.”
When asked whether he had spoken with the president, Hegseth replied affirmatively. “And we are going to continue fighting. On the same page all the way,” he added.
The latest controversy stems from reporting that Hegseth discussed operational details of a March 15 strike on Houthi targets in a private Signal group chat that included his wife, brother, and personal lawyer—individuals without formal national security roles. According to multiple outlets citing sources familiar with the chat, the messages included specifics such as flight schedules for F/A-18 Hornets and timing of attacks. This came after an earlier incident in which Hegseth shared similar information in a larger Signal group that inadvertently included Jeffrey Goldberg, editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, due to an apparent error by then-National Security Adviser Mike Waltz.
Goldberg later published details of the chat, revealing discussions of weapons packages, targets, and attack sequencing just hours before the operation began. The administration has maintained that no classified information was compromised and that the mission was a success, with Trump emphasizing that “there was no harm done because the attack was unbelievably successful that night.”
On Monday, NPR reported that the White House had begun exploring a replacement for Hegseth as defense secretary, citing an unnamed U.S. official. The story was quickly revised after sharp pushback from the administration. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt denounced the report as “total FAKE NEWS based on one anonymous source who clearly has no idea what they are talking about.” She added that President Trump “stands strongly behind” Hegseth.
The White House’s official Rapid Response account on X echoed the criticism, labeling NPR a “Fake News propaganda machine.” This marked the second time in recent weeks that Trump has publicly reaffirmed his support for Hegseth. Following the initial Signal chat revelation last month, several Democrats in Congress called for the secretary’s resignation. When asked if Hegseth might step down, Trump replied, “Hegseth is doing a great job, he had nothing to do with this. Hegseth. How do you bring Hegseth into this?”
Trump also noted that Waltz had taken responsibility for adding Goldberg to the group chat. “Mike Waltz … he claimed responsibility, I would imagine. It had nothing to do with anyone else. It was Mike, I guess,” the president said.
Hegseth has repeatedly defended his communications, arguing that the discussions involved informal, unclassified coordination rather than war plans. Pentagon officials have similarly characterized the leaks as attempts by ousted employees to undermine reforms aimed at prioritizing warfighters at the Defense Department.
The back-to-back Signal incidents have fueled broader questions about information security practices within the Trump administration’s national security team. Critics, including some military lawyers, have questioned the judgment of using a commercial encrypted app for sensitive operational discussions. Supporters counter that the stories rely on anonymous sources with political motives and that the successful Yemen operation demonstrates no lasting damage.
As Hegseth wrapped up his remarks at the sunny Easter Egg Roll event, he shifted focus back to family and the administration’s agenda. “I’m really proud of what we’re doing for the president, fighting hard across the board, and I’m going to go roll some Easter eggs with my kids,” he said.
The episode highlights ongoing tensions between the Trump administration and segments of the media, with Hegseth framing the coverage as recycled attacks from disaffected insiders. For now, the White House shows no signs of wavering in its backing of the defense secretary, even as investigations into the chats continue.
