'Sounds Like Disgruntled Employees': Trump Backs Pete Hegseth After Signal Chat Leak Row Blows Up

Last Updated:April 22, 2025, 08:12 IST

Pete Hegseth has been in the middle of a Signal chat leak controversy since March. White House has already dismissed the reports of seaching for a new Secretary of Defence.

Trump backs Pete Hegseth (Reuters Image)

US President Donald Trump has come out in defence of his Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, after reports claimed that the Pentagon Chief shared information regarding planned attacks in Yemen on a Signal group where his wife, brother, and personal lawyer were added.

Hegseth has continued to face mounting pressure to quit since the leak of the first Signal group chat, in which The Atlantic journalist was mistakenly added, revealing sensitive war plans.

As Trump was asked about Hegseth’s future at the annual Easter egg roll event at the White House on Monday, he attempted to put it on “disgruntled employees".

“I guess it sounds like disgruntled employees. You know, he was put there to get rid of a lot of bad people, and that’s what he’s doing. So you don’t always have friends when you do that. Ask the Houthis, much dysfunction there is," Trump told reporters as he referred to the strikes on Houthis in Yemen on March 15.

Trump’s remarks came after the White House denied reports of searching for a new Defence Secretary.

“This ⁦@NPR story is total FAKE NEWS based on one anonymous source who clearly has no idea what they are talking about. As the President said this morning, he stands strongly behind ⁦@SecDef," White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said in a post on X.

Washington D.C., United States of America (USA)

News world 'Sounds Like Disgruntled Employees': Trump Backs Pete Hegseth After Signal Chat Leak Row Blows Up