In the wake of his second scandal in weeks, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth appeared on Fox and Friends Tuesday for a softball interview that was immediately blasted by viewers.
Blaming leakers inside the Pentagon, Hegseth complained that he’d done nothing wrong after a Sunday report claimed he’s shared military tactics in a Signal chat with his wife and brother. Just weeks earlier, he was accused of doing the same thing, but that time including an Atlantic journalist.
CNN Anchor Kaitlan Collins noted Hegseth claimed “staffers of his that were fired were leaking, and suggests an investigation could result in DOJ recommendations.”
“Disgruntled former employees are peddling things to try to save their a–,” Hegseth had said.
“This interview was a bit all over the place,” said CNN reporter Natasha Bertrand. “On the one hand he said this investigation had led to these individuals being escorted out of the building; on the other hand he said that the investigation could ultimately exonerate them.
“But one thing is clear: he is using them as a scapegoat for the larger story that has come out over the last day or so about how he did use a second signal chat to communicate…about sensitive military operations.”
White House correspondent for USA TODAY, Joey Garrison noted, that Hegseth did not deny he sent information to his wife and brother, but claimed it was not war plans.
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Washington Post political reporter Azi Paybarah noted that Hegseth was asked about the “deep state” involvement in the scandal by Fox News’ hosts before he is asked why he included his wife in a Signal chat.
Reader Jim Vigotty replied, “Fox is shaping the narrative. Hegseth the victim. Not Hegseth the drunk f— up.”
And Scripps News National Correspondent Elizabeth Landers noted Hegseth’s claims what he shared was “informal [and] unclassified”
Earlier this week the New York Times cited sources that the Defense Secretary used his personal phone to send information about U.S. military operations in a 13-person Signal group chat, including his wife and brother.
Source: Raw Story / Digpu NewsTex