United States President Donald Trump has backed his defence chief following reports he shared sensitive military information in a second Signal group chat, branding the latest controversy about the top Pentagon official a “waste of time”.
Trump’s backing of US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth on Monday came after multiple media outlets reported that the defence chief had shared details about planned bombing raids on Yemen in a group chat that included his wife, brother and personal lawyer.
The reports have reignited scrutiny of Hegseth’s leadership, following revelations last month that he shared details about upcoming air strikes on Houthi rebels in a Signal group chat that the editor-in-chief of The Atlantic magazine had been mistakenly added to.
“Here we go again. Just a waste of time,” Trump told reporters at the White House.
“He is doing a great job.”
“Ask the Houthis how he’s doing,” Trump added.
Trump also suggested that Hegseth, a former US Army National Guard officer and Fox News host, was the victim of “disgruntled employees”, after several of his former aides, including his former press secretary, John Ullyot, publicly criticised him.
In an op-ed published on Sunday, Ullyot, one of four defence officials that Hegseth fired or asked to resign in the last week, wrote that the Pentagon was in “disarray” and “total chaos” under the secretary’s leadership.
“They just bring up stories,” Trump said.
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