Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.) ceased calling for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s resignation on Monday after a recent report emerged suggesting the secretary disclosed sensitive military strategies in a group chat that included his wife, brother, and personal lawyer.
“If it turns out he had something else [Signal],” Bacon remarked to Politico, adding, “I won’t dictate how the White House should manage this, not the White House, but I would imagine I wouldn’t accept it.”
Bacon’s remarks followedThe New York Times report that in a private Signal group, Hegseth allegedly shared intricate details regarding the military operation in Yemen on March 15th.
The chat reportedly included his wife Jennifer Lauchett, a former Fox News producer no longer with the Pentagon. Additionally, it featured Hegseth’s brother and a personal lawyer, both affiliated with the Pentagon, but the Times indicated that “it’s unclear why future military actions against Yemen’s Houthi forces are necessary to share.”
Hegseth has faced previous scrutiny for revealing similar details in a primary national security chat that unintentionally involved top editors from Atlantic.
Bacon noted the Times highlighted ongoing concerns regarding Hegseth, who is a former Fox News host and Army veteran.
“I was troubled from the beginning because Pete Hegseth lacked experience,” Bacon told Politico.
“I appreciate him on Fox,” he continued. “But does he possess the experience to lead one of the largest organizations globally? That raises a red flag.”
The White House defended Hegseth amid rising criticism following the recent report.
“He’s performing excellently… Ask Hoois about his performance,” Trump told reporters on the South Lawn during the annual Easter Egg Roll.
Trump has touted strong military recruitment numbers under Hegseth and dismissed the recent scandal.
“It’s simply fake news,” Trump asserted. “They continuously foster stories. It sounds like a disgruntled staff member. He was appointed to eliminate many problem individuals.”
The White House also pushed back against an NPR report suggesting that the White House is already seeking a replacement for Hegseth.
“This @NPR article is completely fake news based on unnamed sources that seem ill-informed. As the president stated earlier today, he remains firmly supportive of @secdef.” Post to social media platform x.
