Hegseth Challenges Journalist Over Yemen War Plans Leak
Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has accused Jeffrey Goldberg of The Atlantic of spreading misinformation regarding a group chat about Yemen’s war plans. He described Goldberg as deceitful and dismissed claims of sensitive information sharing. Hegseth’s comments underscore ongoing tensions between government officials and the media.
Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has accused Jeffrey Goldberg, Editor-in-Chief of The Atlantic, of disseminating falsehoods after he was mistakenly included in a group chat discussing Yemen’s strategies. During Hegseth’s inaugural trip to Hawaii as defence secretary, he labeled Goldberg a “deceitful” person and a “so-called journalist.”
Hegseth asserted, “Nobody was texting war plans, and that’s all I have to say about that,” to quell suspicions regarding the disclosed plans. When questioned about how sensitive information concerning the Houthis in Yemen reached a journalist, he disparaged Goldberg, claiming, “This is the guy who peddles in garbage.”
Hegseth refrained from providing details about the use of Signal for the private conversation or the process by which Goldberg was included in the chat.
The conflict between Defence Secretary Hegseth and The Atlantic’s Jeffrey Goldberg highlights critical concerns regarding the integrity of information sharing among government officials and journalists. Accusations of misinformation cast doubt on journalistic practices and raise questions about access to sensitive military discussions. Overall, Hegseth’s remarks reflect the complexities of handling national security information in a digital age.
Original Source: www.independent.co.uk
