Hegseth's Controversial Texts Stir Debate Over U.S. Military Actions

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's text messages discussing military strikes in Yemen have sparked controversy. Published by The Atlantic, these revealed details of U.S. operations, raising concerns over the security of sensitive information. Despite denials from Trump's administration, questions linger over the use of encryption apps for military communications.

Controversy has erupted following revelations that U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth texted operational details concerning planned military actions against Houthi militants in Yemen. This information was released on Wednesday by The Atlantic and includes details on airstrikes and military movements.

The Trump administration maintained that no classified data was shared, a claim met with skepticism by many, including Democrats and former U.S. officials, who categorize targeting data as particularly sensitive. Jeffrey Goldberg, The Atlantic's editor-in-chief, initially hesitated to publicize the details but did so this week.

Messages from Hegseth reportedly contained explicit timing of strikes, among other specifics. CIA Director John Ratcliffe testified that a Signal chat was designated for unclassified communication, with more secure methods in place for higher-level discussions.

(With inputs from agencies.)