Jimmy Kimmel Slams Pete Hegseth Over New Security Leak Scandal

Jimmy Kimmel has sharply criticized Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth following revelations that Hegseth shared sensitive details about a planned military strike in Yemen via a private Signal group chat with his wife, brother, and lawyer, none of whom had security clearance. The disclosures, uncovered by The New York Times, have led to bipartisan concern about the handling of classified information, with Kimmel ridiculing Hegseth's claim that his messages were merely for 'media coordination' and not classified. Hegseth has defended himself publicly, stating the information was informal and unclassified, but Kimmel and others have dismissed this, pointing out that he shared the exact time and location of a secret military operation on an insecure platform. Kimmel further lampooned Hegseth for blaming 'leakers' when he himself was responsible for the leak, drawing comparisons to someone caught in wrongdoing deflecting blame. The controversy has sparked renewed scrutiny over security protocols and the appropriateness of Hegseth's actions given his position. Calls for accountability and potential changes in leadership have followed as the Pentagon faces mounting public and political pressure.