Experts say Pentagon chief has endangered secrets of US defense department and given assistance to foreign spies

As more develops about the US defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, and his repeated disclosures of sensitive military intelligence in unsecured Signal group chats, there are growing concerns his behavior has weakened the Pentagon in the eyes of its foreign adversaries and made him and his entourage a top espionage target.

Allies, already concerned by Donald Trump’s aggressive tariffs, have also begun to see the US as an intelligence-sharing liability. There are fears that the mounting firings and leak inquiries in Hegseth’s orbit, along with his inability to manage these internal crises, exposes the entire global US war footing – especially, if a geopolitical and external crisis comes across his desk.

“[What if] a foreign entity, whether it be a state actor or non-state actor, is able to intercept the movements of troops or department personnel, or something like that, capture them and hold them to ransom,” said Kristofer Goldsmith, an Iraq war veteran and CEO at Task Force Butler. “That kind of thing could very easily happen.”

  • ByteJunk@lemmy.world
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    Oh I’ve seen this one! This is where the crowd starts chanting “LOCK HER UP, LOCK HER UP” right?

  • Admiral Patrick@dubvee.org
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    Not just Hesgeth.

    The whole administration is comprised of conspiracy nuts and other big brains who will click on any crazy link they come across.

    • floofloof@lemmy.ca
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      The Director of National Intelligence is a probable Russian asset. Also the President.

      • Makeitstop@lemmy.world
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        And let’s not forget Elon and his Doge bro minions. They’re destroying the security around every system they touch, firing the people responsible for that security, moving sensitive data out through starlink to God knows where, and apparently just giving logins to Russia.

        Almost makes storing nuclear secrets in a bathroom seem quaint and wholesome by comparison.

  • Treczoks@lemmy.world
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    Don’t worry, the Russians are still busy processing what they downloaded after fElon left the downloads open in DOGE-infested agencies.

  • Etterra@discuss.online
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    Oh hey ya think? Is this kind of deductive reasoning what a masters degree at an ivy league school gets you? Man I wish I could be smart enough to figure that out.

  • peteyestee@feddit.org
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    America’s government is already dead. This is darkly comical. America is dead. I don’t say that with pride but it is true. It is not what is was, and I’m not sure it ever was what they said it was.

  • Tronn4@lemmy.world
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    The amount of unqualified idiots being handed out security passes like halloween candy is unfathomable

  • crusa187@lemmy.ml
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    Of course he is.

    But also, foreign agents can literally just walk into the pisser at Mara-lago and find classified documents.

    This administration has no interest in maintaining state secrets.

  • Doug Holland@lemmy.world
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    That headline is a masterwork of obfuscation, softening an obvious fact by hiding it behind “fears grow”.

  • wjrii@lemmy.world
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    Earlier in the week, news broke that Hegseth had personally created a Signal group chat including his wife, brother and about a dozen other people who he then texted highly sensitive information on active strikes in Yemen… One person said Russian and Chinese spies were no doubt directly targeting susceptible people in Hegseth’s inner circle.

    Even if, as I am sure he very wrongly does, Hegseth believes himself morally beyond reproach and too smart to be tricked, does he honestly think every single person in his circle and in their circles is as well? JFC.

    • b161@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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      I’m sure everyone in his circle are all using highly secure mobile devices not linked to their personal identities, on the latest software updates and would never be duped by a phishing link or be the target of a zero click exploit by a state actor.

  • Kyrgizion@lemmy.world
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    Why bother? I’m sure for the right price it’s for sale. Might require a trip to the Mar-a-Lago bathroom though.