A bombshell report from The Atlantic has ignited a political firestorm after revealing that Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth shared classified war plans in a Signal group chat that included a reporter. The leak, involving discussions about planned U.S. military strikes on the Houthis in Yemen, has drawn swift condemnation—and a sharp response from former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
“You have got to be kidding me,” Clinton posted Monday on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, reacting to the revelations. Clinton’s response carries a heavy dose of irony, given that she was the subject of a years-long Republican-led investigation into her use of a private email server while leading the State Department.
More: Democrats Reject Joe Biden’s Offer to Help Campaign—Even Jill Prepping a Comeback, But Party Says “No Thanks”
More: Pam Bondi Accuses Rep. Jasmine Crockett of Inciting “Domestic Terrorism” Over Tesla Attacks: “Molotov Cocktails, Not Vandals”
Her emails became a central issue during the 2016 presidential campaign, which she ultimately lost to Donald Trump. As recently as 2023, Trump continued to attack Clinton, declaring, “Hillary Clinton broke the law, and she didn’t get indicted” because “the FBI and Justice Department protected her.”
However, a 2018 report from the Department of Justice’s Inspector General concluded that the FBI acted appropriately in not pursuing criminal charges, and found no evidence of political bias in the decision-making process.
The recent Hegseth scandal has triggered further backlash across the political spectrum. Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg blasted the incident on X, writing, “From an operational security perspective, this is the highest level of f—up imaginable.
These people cannot keep America safe.” Adding to the criticism, GOP pollster Sarah Longwell reposted a Fox Business clip from 2016 in which Hegseth harshly criticized Clinton over her handling of classified material.
“Well, she’s got two problems here. Two words: Top Secret,” Hegseth said at the time. “Before it was servers. It was classified. It was sort of this amorphous idea that maybe it was wrong. Everyone knows what ‘Top Secret’ means. I’ve got top-secret clearance. It’s got big red flashing letters: Top Secret!”
More: Trump Melts Down Over “Radical Left Lunatics” at NC Town Hall—Blames Dems for “Filthy” Chaos
More: “Tesla Is Tanking and I’m OK With That”: Rep. Crockett Fires Back After Pam Bondi’s Wild Threat Over Elon Musk
In another appearance, Hegseth argued, “Let me be clear, to quote the president: Hillary Clinton — if it was anyone other than Hillary Clinton, they would be in jail right now for what has been done.”
Now, critics are pointing to the glaring contrast between Hegseth’s past rhetoric and his own alleged mishandling of classified information—raising fresh questions about hypocrisy, accountability, and national security.
READ NEXT:
- Ben Affleck reveals how Jennifer Garner’s kids view him: ‘Joke’
- How Meghan Markle deals with ‘online hate’ and protects her mental health
- Karoline Leavitt’s Cheerful Trump Post Turns Ugly as Social Media Explodes
- Experts Say Soy Sauce Might Be Destroying Your Pearly Whites — Here’s How to Stop It
- Baby Born Twice After Mom’s Womb Removed Mid-Pregnancy in Life-Saving Cancer Surgery