Defense Secretary Hegseth's Wife and Brother Attend Sensitive Meetings, Raising Security Concerns

Pete Hegseth's Wife and Brother Attend Sensitive Meetings

Pete Hegseth, the US defense secretary, has come under fire for his wife's and brother's presence at sensitive meetings where classified information was discussed.

According to a report by the Wall Street Journal, Hegseth's wife, Jennifer Hegseth, attended two meetings with foreign defense officials. The first was a high-level discussion at the Pentagon with top UK military officials, including the UK secretary of defense, John Healey. The second took place in Brussels at Nato headquarters during a meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group.

While the spouses of defense officials sometimes receive low-level security clearances, it is unclear whether Jennifer Hegseth has any clearance. This raises concerns about the potential for sensitive information to be leaked.

Hegseth also brought his brother, Philip Hegseth, a podcast producer, on official visits, including a trip to Guantánamo Bay and a current tour of Asia.

The defense department has not yet responded to requests for comment. However, former Republican secretary of defense Chuck Hagel has expressed concern about the potential security risks associated with Hegseth's actions.

"If you are going to discuss top-secret, national-security issues, you have to be very selective," Hagel said. "What's the relevancy of the person you are inviting?"

While Republicans have largely defended Hegseth in public, some are reportedly privately concerned about his judgment.