"It's madness": The real boss of the Pentagon is the Secretary of Defense's wife
From public appearances to presence at sensitive security meetings: Jennifer Hegseth is taking an increasingly large place in the US Secretary of Defense's circle, while political and security officials criticize the blurring of lines between family and national security.
Never before has a spouse like Jennifer Hegseth been seen at the Pentagon. Last May, she was documented in short camouflage shorts and a sweat-drenched t-shirt bearing the inscription "This is war," as she trained alongside her husband, US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Marines, and sailors on the deck of the warship "Boxer" in Singapore.
In June, she accompanied him to the D-Day ceremonies in Normandy, where the two starred in a Department of Defense promotional video as they walked arm-in-arm on Omaha Beach. These images seemed intended to crown her as the "First Lady of the Pentagon," but it turns out her security involvement is much deeper and more unusual.
According to a comprehensive investigation published in the "New York Times," Hegseth, who was appointed this month as chair of the Presidential Committee for Military Spouses, has become her husband's most influential advisor and, in effect, the "executive producer" of the US Department of Defense. Last year, it was revealed that the Secretary of Defense added her to a classified "Signal" group where he shared strike plans for US fighter jets against Houthi rebel targets in Yemen.
Additionally, as first reported in the "Wall Street Journal," Jennifer was present at a highly sensitive meeting with senior British security officials regarding intelligence sharing on Ukraine. The Times report noted that her presence caused intense discomfort among the British, who were forced to pause the discussion and hold a restricted meeting without her to dive into operational details.
Jennifer Hegseth (49), who served for 18 years as a senior producer at the "Fox News" network, is now using her media experience to shape her husband's image, interviewing candidates for his staff, and even being involved in the policy of excluding critical journalists from the Pentagon. This unusual involvement is drawing sharp criticism. John Ullyot, a former Pentagon spokesperson, noted:
"It's madness for a Secretary of Defense to involve his wife in his official and sensitive duties without any consequences."
Democratic Senator Chris Coons added that the Secretary of Defense "cannot just hand his wife his security clearance and say, 'Hold my classified intelligence.'"
On the other hand, Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell denied that Jennifer was present at discussions where classified information was revealed and called her a "force multiplier for our mission." Pete Hegseth himself does not hide his dependence on his wife, who he says "saved his life" after a past of drinking problems and scandals. The couple, who lead a Christian-evangelical lifestyle in their official 20-room residence in Washington, also owns a massive farm worth $3.4 million that spans approximately 311.6 dunams outside Nashville.
Despite criticism from home and abroad, it seems the Hegseth family is establishing its grip on the US Department of Defense in an unprecedented style, as the lines between politics, family, and national security are completely blurred.
