It has been revealed that U.S. Secretary of Defense Pit Hegset brought his wife, Jennifer Hegset, along during his participation in secret military negotiations. According to The Wall Street Journal (WSJ), classified information was discussed during these meetings, and the minister's wife was the only personal companion present.
Secret meetings and Jennifer Hegset's participation
The first meeting took place on March 6 at the Pentagon. The issue of the U.S. halting the delivery of intelligence to Ukraine was discussed. The meeting included British Defense Secretary Jon Healey and Chief of the Defence Staff Admiral Anthony Radakin.
The second meeting was held in February at NATO's headquarters in Brussels. It involved representatives from about 50 countries providing military assistance to Ukraine, known as the Contact Group led by the U.S.
According to WSJ, such meetings always involve discussions of classified information, which are not disclosed to the public. Jennifer Hegset does not have the legal right to participate in such discussions, as she is not a Pentagon employee.
Criticism and concerns
Representatives from both parties in the U.S. Congress have reacted with skepticism to the Pentagon chief's decision to bring his wife to secret meetings. They emphasized that this situation could pose a threat to national security.
Roger Wicker, the Republican chair of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and Democrat Jack Reed have requested the Pentagon's chief inspector to conduct an official investigation regarding this matter.
The political influence of the Hegsets
Jennifer Hegset is a former producer for Fox News and has consistently accompanied her husband throughout his political career. Additionally, Pit Hegset's brother, Philip Hegset, also travels with the minister on official trips. He works at the Hudson Institute think tank and recently became a liaison at the U.S. Department of Defense.
The Pentagon confirmed that Philip Hegset visited the Guantanamo military base in February and participated in a meeting at the Pentagon with Conor McGregor.
Have there been similar cases in history?
WSJ analysts noted that similar situations have been observed in previous administrations, but they are very rare. For instance, Mike Pompeo faced criticism for bringing his wife, Susan Pompeo, to work meetings.
Chuck Hagel, the Secretary of Defense during the Obama administration, described such a situation as a troubling signal for the Pentagon in an interview with WSJ. According to him, the participation of non-government personnel in secret meetings poses significant risks.
The participation of Pentagon chief Pit Hegset with his wife Jennifer Hegset in secret meetings at NATO and the Pentagon has sparked significant discussions in the U.S. Currently, the issue of conducting an investigation regarding this situation is on the agenda. If this situation is deemed to violate national security regulations, Hegset may face significant criticism and could even be removed from his position.
