Hegseth brought his wife to high-level foreign meetings where sensitive information was shared: report
Amid the fallout over the Signalgate group chat between national security officials that inadvertently included the editor of The Atlantic , a report has emerged that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth brought his wife to two meetings with foreign military officials.
The Wall Street Journal reports that sensitive information was discussed in both meetings, one with U.K. officials and another with NATO defense ministers, according to multiple people who were either present or had knowledge of the discussions.
Jennifer Hegseth, a former Fox News producer, is said to have been present at a March 6 meeting at the Pentagon with Britain’s Secretary of Defence John Healy and Admiral Tony Radakin, head of the U.K. armed forces.
The meeting came at an especially sensitive moment — the day after the U.S. said it had cut off military intelligence sharing with Ukraine —and the conversations encompassed the reasoning behind the choice as well as potential future military cooperation.
The spouse of the defense secretary was present at a meeting in February held at NATO's headquarters in Brussels. Journal reports, referencing two individuals who were present.
The meeting, which took place on the fringes of the NATO defense ministers' conference, brought together members of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group—a coalition comprising around 50 countries that regularly convene to synchronize the provision and distribution of armaments and various forms of assistance to Ukraine.
Officials said that national representatives “routinely present confidential information, such as donations to Ukraine that they don’t want to be made public,” the Journal reports.
Some foreign attendees at the two meetings didn’t know who Jennifer Hegseth was, according to people familiar with both events, and others were surprised by her presence but proceeded with no objections.
It is not known if her presence had an impact on what was discussed at either meeting.
A secretary can technically invite anyone to such meetings, but attendee lists are limited to necessary participants, who usually need security clearances due to the sensitive nature of the discussions, according to defense officials. Security is often present near the meeting space to deter uninvited attendees.
Jennifer Hegseth is not an employee of the Defense Department , but it is not uncommon for spouses of senior officials to possess low-level security clearances.
A Pentagon spokesperson declined to tell the Journal if Ms Hegseth has such clearance and she did not respond to a request for comment from the outlet.
Further to the presence of his wife at sensitive meetings, Hegseth has confirmed that his younger brother, Phil Hegseth, also holds a prominent position within the Pentagon.
He serves as a senior advisor to the secretary for the Department of Homeland Security and liaison officer to the Department of Defense.
In this position, he has enjoyed unique experiences, including meetings with UFC Conor McGregor and a visit to Guantanamo Bay , and he is currently accompanying the defense secretary on his inaugural trip to the Indo-Pacific aboard the Pentagon's 747 aircraft.
A 1967 federal nepotism law prohibits government officials from hiring, promoting or recommending relatives to any civilian position over which they exercise control.
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