Duckworth: Hegseth endangering troops with ‘singular stupidity’

Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) a former Black Hawk helicopter pilot and combat veteran, said Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth’s “singular stupidity” is putting troops in harm’s way and demanded his resignation — after a new report alleges the secretary shared detailed military plans in a group chat that included his wife, brother and personal lawyer.

“How many times does Pete Hegseth need to leak classified intelligence before Donald Trump and Republicans understand that he isn’t only a f---ing liar, he is a threat to our national security?” Duckworth, who sits on the Senate Armed Services and Foreign Relations Committees, said Sunday on X.

“Every day he stays in his job is another day our troops’ lives are endangered by his singular stupidity,” she continued. “He must resign in disgrace.”

Duckworth’s statement came after The New York Times reported on a previously undisclosed Signal group chat, in which Hegseth allegedly shared detailed information about forthcoming military strikes in Yemen on March 15.

The group chat reportedly included his wife, Jennifer, who is a former Fox News producer and does not work at the Pentagon. It also included Hegseth’s brother and personal lawyer, both of whom work at the Pentagon but, the Times reported, “it is not clear why either would need to know about upcoming military strikes aimed at the Houthis in Yemen.”

According to the Times, which cited four people with knowledge of the chat, the group chat included his wife and “about a dozen other people from his personal and professional inner circle in January, before his confirmation as defense secretary.”

Hegseth has previously come under intense scrutiny for sharing similar details with top national security officials in a Signal chat that inadvertently included the top editor of The Atlantic.

The Pentagon’s chief spokesperson, Sean Parnell, responded to the Times’ reporting in a post on social media, saying, “Another day, another old story — back from the dead.”

“There was no classified information in any Signal chat, no matter how many ways they try to write the story,” he added.

The White House on Monday said President Trump strongly supports Hegseth.

Duckworth was fiercely critical of Hegseth before he was confirmed and similarly called Hegseth a “f---ing liar” and demanded his resignation following the initial bombshell reporting in The Atlantic about the Signal group chat with top national security officials.

“Pete Hegseth is a f‑‑‑ing liar. This is so clearly classified info he recklessly leaked that could’ve gotten our pilots killed. He needs to resign in disgrace immediately,” Duckworth said in a statement last month, responding to The Atlantic reporting.

“Hegseth and every other official who was included in this group chat must be subject to an independent investigation. If Republicans won’t join us in holding the Trump Administration accountable, then they are complicit in this dangerous and likely criminal breach of our national security.”