LIVE: White House Briefing Amid Hegseth Signal Chat Controversy

Washington, D.C. – White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt addressed the press corps this afternoon amid growing controversy surrounding Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and reports he shared classified information in a private Signal group chat.

The briefing comes just hours after President Trump publicly reaffirmed his support for Hegseth, stating, "Secretary Hegseth has my full confidence. He’s doing an outstanding job defending our country."

According to multiple reports, Hegseth is alleged to have disclosed operational details of a U.S. military strike on Houthi forces in Yemen through a second Signal group chat that included his wife, brother, and personal lawyer. The revelations have intensified scrutiny following earlier allegations of impropriety and the Pentagon’s ongoing internal leak investigation.

When pressed about the implications of the report, Leavitt reiterated the administration’s stance:

“The President stands by Secretary Hegseth and believes in his integrity and judgment. The Department of Defense is fully cooperating with the appropriate oversight bodies, and we will not be commenting on any ongoing investigations.”

Leavitt declined to confirm whether the chat in question contained classified information, citing national security protocols, but stressed that “the administration takes all matters of operational security extremely seriously.”

The Pentagon has yet to issue an official statement regarding this latest development, though sources inside the department suggest additional reviews of communication protocols may be underway.

This story is developing.