Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth knows he "failed" in his duties by using an unsecured Signal phone app to share attack plans with family members, according to former NATO Supreme Allied Commander Admiral James Stavridis.
The New York Times reported Sunday of a "previously unreported existence of a second Signal chat in which Mr. Hegseth shared highly sensitive military information" regarding the March 15 attack on Houthi rebels in Yemen.
CNN's Boris Sanchez asked Admiral Stavridis, "Is there a legitimate reason that you could see why Secretary Hegseth would not only use his personal device for these communications, but also share these details with his loved ones and his attorney?"
"There is absolutely no reason on the planet earth he should be doing that and he knows it," Stavridis said. "He's a former major in the U.S. Army. He was trained throughout his time as a junior officer to protect and guard the nation's secrets; he's got to know that he has failed to do that."
ALSO READ: 'Dictatorship, not a town hall': Families 'distraught' as MTG disruptors tased and jailed
Stavridis continued, "And, let's face it, Boris, if 'Signalgate 1.0' was a release to a group of high-ranking officials — which it was, and got leaked inadvertently to a member of the media — so we saw exactly what was on it. Here we are, 'Signalgate 2.0,' where, evidently, if the reporting is correct, very similar level, but now it's going to unclassified individuals who lack the need to know any of this. So, it's gone from outrageous to truly egregious, and it's conduct that, frankly, is indefensible."
Stavridis said the Signal chat "appears to me to be highly classified information," despite the Pentagon's denials that anything sensitive was relayed.
Hegseth blamed the leak on "disgruntled employees," while President Donald Trump defended his Defense secretary as a victim of "fake news" at Sunday's White House Easter egg roll.
"You can't just fire people and expect loyalty from them on the far side of the bridge," Stavridis said. "So, no, I'm not surprised about the blowback from firing people that you have hired. We ought to remember, these are folks that Secretary Hegseth hired — put on his team. He chose them."