Democrat senator demands Hegseth’s dismissal amid security breach allegations

U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth is facing mounting pressure to resign following revelations that he shared classified military intelligence through an unsecured messaging app, including with his spouse. 

Democratic Senator Tammy Duckworth on April 22 publicly called for Hegseth’s immediate dismissal, stating that his actions recklessly endangered American service members, Caliber.Az reports.

“Hegseth needs to be fired. The intel he shared via Signal, including to his wife, was sent to him on a secure channel. He knowingly exposed our pilots to unnecessary danger with his showboat antics,” Duckworth wrote on her social media account on X (formerly Twitter).

According to media reports, the classified information involved details of a U.S. military operation in Yemen. The New York Times, citing sources within the administration, reported that Hegseth transmitted the sensitive material via a personal chat in the Signal app — a platform not authorised for classified communications.

The scandal has deepened concerns over internal dysfunction at the Pentagon. Former Department of Defense spokesperson John Ullyot said on April 21 that Hegseth’s position may be untenable, describing the current atmosphere within the department as one of “total chaos” and “disarray,” stemming from recent leaks and a wave of high-level resignations.

The controversy intensified further with reports that Hegseth had also brought his wife to classified briefings, violating long-established security protocols.

On April 22, an unnamed adviser to former President Donald Trump added to the criticism, suggesting Hegseth lacked the necessary capabilities to manage the role of defence secretary effectively.

By Vugar Khalilov