R-Neb. Rep. Don Bacon said on Monday he would not tolerate the Secretary of Defense, who is said to be re-sharing sensitive information about military operations in the Signal Group Chat.
“If the report is true, this is unacceptable. I will never tell the White House what to do, but I will not tolerate it,” Bacon told Fox News Digital, repeating his comment that Politico first reported.
Bacon, a retired military and Republican of the House Armed Services Committee, said that Hegseth sent sensitive information through a signalling chat about Yemen’s mission targeting Houthis was “unacceptable.” The New York Times reported on Sunday that Hegus shared information about Yemen’s March 15 strike in a private signal group chat that includes his wife, brother and personal lawyers, claiming it was essentially the same plan as it was shared in another signal chat that includes an Atlantic editor.
White House brushes the cleft suspected as “smashed ego” of the Pentagon Leaker, Hegus’s second signal chat report
R-Neb. Rep. Don Bacon said right-wing defense secretary Pete Hegses said it was allegedly sent sensitive military information in another signal group chat. (Getty | ap)
Bacon told Politico he has reserved about Hegses’ experience since his appointment, and while a spokesman for Bacon’s office emphasized that he would not tell Fox News Digital that he would not tell President Donald Trump to fire Hegses, Bacon said he would “not tolerate” the latest Hegses reporting if he was the commander-in-chief.
Former Pentagon aide urges Trump to fire Hegses, citing “a full-fledged meltdown” and “total chaos”
White House officials joined Heggs to deny the report.
“Even though legacy media is trying to revive the same non-story, it cannot change the fact that the classified information is not shared. The recently fired “leaks” continue to misrepresent the truth to ease the crushed ego and undermine the president’s agenda, but the administration continues to take responsibility.
US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegses denied the New York Times report. (Franco Brana/AFP via Getty Images)
Trump himself shut down the report, calling it “fake news,” and promoting recruitment rates and Heggs’ military leadership.
“The president stands strong behind Secretary Hegses, who does an incredible job leading the pentagon,” White House press chief Carolyn Leavitt told Fox News on Monday.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt was featured in the White House on April 15th, 2025. Leavitt defended Hegseth on Monday. (Reuters/Evelyn Hockstein)
Hegseth lamented “disgruntled employees” and “anonymous smears” when he was pushed by reporters about the latest signal controversy on the White House Easter Egg Roll.
“This is why we’re fighting fake news media. This group here is full of hoaxes,” Hegses said.
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The Trump administration claims that materials classified as signal chats reported by the Atlantic were not sent. Signal is an encrypted messaging app with additional security measures to keep messages private to what is included in the communication.
Emma Colton from Fox News Digtal contributed to this report.
Deirdre Heavey is a political writer for Fox News Digital.
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