Hegseth brought his wife to high-level foreign meetings where ‘sensitive information’ was shared, report says amid Signal fallout

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In the midst of falling over the Signalgate group chat between national security officials who accidentally the editor of The Atlantic OceanA report showed that Defense Minister Pete Hegseth brought his wife to two meetings with foreign military officials.

The Wall Street Journal Reports that sensitive information was discussed at both meetings, one with British officials and another with NATO defense ministers, according to several people who were present or had knowledge of the discussions.

Former Fox News producer Jennifer Hegseth is allegedly present at a March 6 meeting in the Pentagon with British Secretary of Defense John Healy and Admiral Tony Radakin, head of British armed forces.

The meeting came at a very sensitive moment – the day after the US said it had cut off Military Intelligence Division with Ukraine – and discussions included the rationale for the decision and future military cooperation.

The woman of the defense secretary was also at a meeting in February at the headquarters of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in Brussels Journal Reports, referring to two people who attended it.

The meeting, on the sidelines of the NATO defense conference, was a meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group – approximately 50 countries that meet periodically to coordinate the production and delivery of weapons and other support for Ukraine.

Officials said that national representatives “regularly offer confidential information, such as donations to Ukraine that they do not want to be made public,” the Journal Reports.

The Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and his wife Jennifer Rauchet Walk Walk Walk through the sculpture in front of US President Donald Trump's speech to a joint session of Congress — The Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and his wife Jennifer Rauchet Walk Walk Walk through the sculpture in front of US President Donald Trump’s speech to a joint session of Congress (Reuters)

Some foreign participants in the two meetings did not know who Jennifer Hegseth was, according to people who are familiar with both events, and others were surprised by her presence, but continued with no objections.

It is not known if her presence had an influence on what was discussed at any meeting.

A secretary can technically invite someone to such meetings, but the participant lists are limited to essential participants who usually need security clearances due to the sensitive nature of the discussions, according to defense officials. Safety is often present near the meeting space to ward off uninvited participants.

Jennifer Hegseth is not an employee of the Department of Defense, but it is not uncommon for spouses of senior officials to have low-level security clearances.

A spokesman for Pentagon did not want the Journal If Ms Hegseth has such an approval and she does not respond to a request for comment from the outlet.

Phil Hegseth's brother, Dan, also holds a prominent position in the Pentagon. — Phil Hegseth’s brother, Dan, also holds a prominent position in the Pentagon.

Further after the presence of his wife during sensitive meetings, Hegseth confirmed that his younger brother, Phil Hegseth, also held a prominent position in the Pentagon.

He serves as a senior adviser to the Secretary of the Department of Internal Security and Liaison Officer at the Department of Defense.

In this position he enjoyed unique experiences, including meetings with UFC Conor McGregor and a visit to Guantanamo Bay, and he currently accompanies the secretary of the defense on his first trip to the Indo-Pacific on board the Pentagon’s 747 aircraft.

A Federal Nepotism Act of 1967 prohibits government officials to rent, promote or recommend family members to any civil position over which they exercise control.

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