US: Patrick Hegseth at the Center of a New Scandal – His Wife Attended Confidential Military Meetings, Reports Wall Street Journal

Every notion of national security seems to be under siege by Donald Trump’s administration. Following the debacle with Signalgate, Defense Secretary Patrick Hegseth is once again in the spotlight for another reason: according to the Wall Street Journal, his wife, Jennifer, attended at least two meetings where classified information was discussed. Just days ago, it was revealed that a mistake by the President’s National Security Advisor involved discussions about strikes against the Houthis, where Hegseth and other top officials were present. The new revelation from the Wall Street Journal places Hegseth in an even more difficult position and could further fuel criticism of the Trump administration. The report states that Jennifer Hegseth, a former Fox News producer, was present during two meetings her husband held as Defense Secretary with military personnel from allied countries, discussing classified information. Sources present at the meetings confirmed this to the newspaper. While the article notes that the Defense Secretary has the right to invite anyone he chooses to meetings, it also highlights that attendees are usually carefully selected and only those necessary are invited. Attendees of meetings with representatives of allied nations typically have security clearance, though it is unclear whether Jennifer Hegseth possesses such clearance, as the Pentagon refused to comment. It’s certain that Jennifer Hegseth is not an employee of the Department of Defense. Usually, such meetings involve only individuals with some level of security clearance, and strict measures and rigorous checks are enforced. High-ranking officials often travel accompanied by their spouses, who participate in social events but rarely attend formal military meetings. One of the meetings Jennifer Hegseth attended took place on March 6, 2025, at the Pentagon, where Patrick Hegseth welcomed his British counterpart, John Hilly. This meeting occurred during a sensitive period for transatlantic relations, just one day after the Trump administration announced it would stop sharing information with Ukraine. During this meeting, discussions focused on the rationale behind this decision and the future of U.S.-UK military cooperation.