US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has lashed out at media reports of a second Signal group chat used to discuss sensitive military information.

The media reports were quoting “anonymous sources from disgruntled former employees” Hegseth said, alluding to a New York Times story that alleged the existence of a second Signal group chat discussing sensitive information on US strikes in Yemen.

The outlet claimed Hegseth had taken part in a second chat, which included his wife, brother and around a dozen other people just over a month after the existence of the first chat sparked a political scandal.

Pressure mounted on Hegseth when former Pentagon spokesperson John Ullyot published an op-ed in Politico on Sunday in which he described the workplace under Hegseth as overwhelmed by staff drama and turnover.

The situation was in “full-blown meltdown”, Ullyot wrote, adding that he believed the dysfunction should cost Hegseth his position.

“From leaks of sensitive operational plans to mass firings, the dysfunction is now a major distraction for the president – who deserves better from his senior leadership,” Ullyot said.”

Hegseth on Monday sidestepped questions about Ullyot. He implied media reports were to blame for publishing the claims of former staffers who were maliciously planting stories.

Three former senior advisers to Hegseth were ousted last week in the midst of an expanding information probe. In a join statement, the three said they were subject to “baseless attacks” as they were escorted out the door of the Pentagon.

“We still have not been told what exactly we were investigated for, if there is still an active investigation, or if there was even a real investigation of ‘leaks’ to begin with,” the three said.

Ullyot also announced his resignation last week, though the Pentagon later stated he was asked to resign.

White House shields Hegseth

The White House has so far defended Hegseth and the turmoil that has engulfed the Pentagon. Trump called the stories “fake news” and, like Hegseth, attributed them to “disgruntled employees.”

“You know, he was put there to get rid of a lot of bad people, and that’s what he’s doing. So you don’t always have friends when you do that,” Trump said, adding he thought his defence chief was doing a “great job.”

The Pentagon’s chief spokesperson Sean Parnell blamed the “Trump-hating media”.

“There was no classified information in any Signal chat, no matter how many ways they try to write the story. What is true is that the Office of the Secretary of Defence is continuing to become stronger and more efficient in executing President Trump’s agenda. We’ve already achieved so much for the American warfighter, and will never back down,” Parnell said.

Calls to resign

Hegseth is however facing growing calls to resign from Democrats, who have slammed the Trump administration for failing to take action against top officials using the commercial app Signal to discuss classified military information.

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Influential Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer on Sunday directly called for Hegseth to leave his post. “The details keep coming out. We keep learning how Pete Hegseth put lives at risk. But Trump is still too weak to fire him,” Schumar posted on social media.

Jack Reed, a Democratic Senator from Rhode Island said that if the report of the second Signal chat is true it would be “another troubling example of Secretary Hegseth’s reckless disregard for the laws and protocols that every other military service member is required to follow”.

Hegseth lacks the experience, competence and character to run the Department of Defence, Reed alleged.