Hegseth Jokes About Signalgate at Fox Awards
On Thursday night, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth took a lighthearted jab at the recent Signalgate scandal during the Fox Nation’s Patriot Awards. This incident revolved around the unintended sharing of confidential military plans for U.S. operations against Houthi targets in Yemen via the messaging app Signal.
Hegseth, who addressed the crowd, noticed fellow Trump administration member Mike Walz, the U.N. ambassador. Walz was the one who started the group chat that mistakenly included The Atlantic’s editor-in-chief, Jeffrey Goldberg.
In a humorous moment, Hegseth remarked, “It’s Mike Waltz, Mike, I’ll get back to you later about the signal,” eliciting laughter and mixed reactions from the audience.
Walz could be seen responding silently with an “I’m fine” gesture. Hegseth then joked, “Too early?”
Earlier this year, Hegseth had shared sensitive details about an airstrike in Yemen, including its timing and expected duration, in a chat filled with emojis. This conversation involved several high-ranking officials, including Walz, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Vice President Vance.
The fallout from the scandal lasted for weeks, with some Democrats demanding resignations from Hegseth and Walz. At that time, Walz was serving as President Trump’s national security adviser but soon transitioned to his role as U.N. ambassador.
The Republican-led Senate Armed Services Committee urged the Pentagon’s inspector general to investigate Hegseth’s conduct, a request Hegseth dismissed as a “political witch hunt.”
Although the Pentagon Inspector General is believed to have finished its investigation, a formal report has yet to be released.
During the Fox Nation event, Hegseth, who made an unexpected appearance to honor Maj. James Capers Jr., expressed no regret regarding Signalgate, insisting he never disclosed classified information.
Wrapping up his speech, Hegseth reiterated his commitment to revising diversity efforts within the Pentagon, echoing themes he had previously discussed with military leaders. He concluded by relaying President Trump’s directive to “get tough and get back to your warrior spirit.”
