Rachel Maddow

I've got so much to get to tonight. Stay with us. We've had a lot of secretaries of defense in this country, and lots of those defense secretaries have had lots of scandals over the years. You know, we've had good defense secretaries. We've had bad ones. We've had some real bad ones. But, you know, there's always room for something new under the sun.

For all the things that defense secretaries in the United States have ever done wrong, I'm not sure we've ever had a secretary of defense rope his spouse into a sensitive national security conversation. I feel like of all the things we've seen at the Pentagon, this might count as a new problem.

For all the things that defense secretaries in the United States have ever done wrong, I'm not sure we've ever had a secretary of defense rope his spouse into a sensitive national security conversation. I feel like of all the things we've seen at the Pentagon, this might count as a new problem.

The Wall Street Journal reported last month that Trump's defense secretary, Pete Hegsath, quote, brought his wife, a former Fox News producer, to two meetings with foreign military counterparts where sensitive information was discussed, including the Ukraine Defense Contact Group at NATO and one very delicate meeting with the British defense secretary.

The Wall Street Journal reported last month that Trump's defense secretary, Pete Hegsath, quote, brought his wife, a former Fox News producer, to two meetings with foreign military counterparts where sensitive information was discussed, including the Ukraine Defense Contact Group at NATO and one very delicate meeting with the British defense secretary.

Why did he need to bring his wife to those meetings? Dunno. But now there is new reporting in the New York Times that Secretary Hegsath also allegedly shared detailed information about forthcoming military strikes with his wife. On a group chat on the messaging app Signal, Two sources have now confirmed that for NBC News.

Why did he need to bring his wife to those meetings? Dunno. But now there is new reporting in the New York Times that Secretary Hegsath also allegedly shared detailed information about forthcoming military strikes with his wife. On a group chat on the messaging app Signal, Two sources have now confirmed that for NBC News.

And yes, this is the second signal group chat we know of featuring sensitive military information that Pete Hegseth has been involved in. The first one, Hegseth was included on after it was started by Trump National Security Advisor Michael Waltz. You might remember he inexplicably also included a reporter in that chat.

And yes, this is the second signal group chat we know of featuring sensitive military information that Pete Hegseth has been involved in. The first one, Hegseth was included on after it was started by Trump National Security Advisor Michael Waltz. You might remember he inexplicably also included a reporter in that chat.

This second one was reportedly started by Hegseth himself and included a whole bunch of people who would not seem to have any clearance, let alone any need to know about the details of an imminent military strike. Sources telling The Times that what Hegseth shared with his wife in this second group chat was essentially the same attack plans that were shared in the first signal chat on the same day.

This second one was reportedly started by Hegseth himself and included a whole bunch of people who would not seem to have any clearance, let alone any need to know about the details of an imminent military strike. Sources telling The Times that what Hegseth shared with his wife in this second group chat was essentially the same attack plans that were shared in the first signal chat on the same day.

including precise flight schedules for US Air Force jets that were about to launch a strike in Yemen. Again, Secretary Hegseth's wife is a former Fox News producer who does not work for the Defense Department or any other part of the US government. which is fine. Nothing against Mrs. Hegseth here. I'm sure she's great.

including precise flight schedules for US Air Force jets that were about to launch a strike in Yemen. Again, Secretary Hegseth's wife is a former Fox News producer who does not work for the Defense Department or any other part of the US government. which is fine. Nothing against Mrs. Hegseth here. I'm sure she's great.

But one does struggle to imagine a compelling reason why she, as the defense secretary's wife, would need to know the specific timing of U.S. bombings in Yemen that were about to start. And obviously, there's the question of why sensitive information about military attack plans would be shared with anybody by anybody on a group chat on a commercial non-government messaging app.

But one does struggle to imagine a compelling reason why she, as the defense secretary's wife, would need to know the specific timing of U.S. bombings in Yemen that were about to start. And obviously, there's the question of why sensitive information about military attack plans would be shared with anybody by anybody on a group chat on a commercial non-government messaging app.

In response to this latest reporting, a Pentagon spokesman didn't deny the existence of Hegseth's second signal chat with his wife and others. The spokesperson claimed only that there was no classified information on any signal chat. Okay. Like I said, we've had good defense secretaries and bad ones, but I'm not sure we've ever had one pile up the headlines quite like this guy.

In response to this latest reporting, a Pentagon spokesman didn't deny the existence of Hegseth's second signal chat with his wife and others. The spokesperson claimed only that there was no classified information on any signal chat. Okay. Like I said, we've had good defense secretaries and bad ones, but I'm not sure we've ever had one pile up the headlines quite like this guy.

There really does appear to be expanding chaos at Pete Hegseth's Pentagon. His chief of staff is leaving his post. Three other top officials were fired on Friday, though the three men then said in an unusual joint statement that they have no idea why they were fired. The Pentagon's former top spokesman resigned last week.

There really does appear to be expanding chaos at Pete Hegseth's Pentagon. His chief of staff is leaving his post. Three other top officials were fired on Friday, though the three men then said in an unusual joint statement that they have no idea why they were fired. The Pentagon's former top spokesman resigned last week.

He published an opinion piece this weekend in which he said, quote, "...the last month has been a full-blown meltdown at the Pentagon. It is becoming a real problem for the administration." Today, the Trump administration is denying reporting from NPR that the White House has begun the process of looking for a new defense secretary to replace the embattled Pete Hegseth.