Pete Hegseth was accused of having another Signal chat open where he texted details of U.S. military strikes, this time to one that included his wife and a close friend and former Fox News colleague.

Reports of Signal chat groups used to detail strategy by the Pentagon have put DOD under fire in recent weeks, with an investigation forcing out several top staffers, all of whom have questioned the probe.

A second group made the news for containing Hegseth’s wife, former Fox News producer Jennifer Rauchet, his brother and his personal attorney. 

Now, a third chat has been revealed that included his wife, Pentagon Chief Spokesman Sean Parnell and fellow former Fox producer Tami Radabaugh.

The Washington Post reported that Radabaugh and Rauchet are close friends, while a locked Instagram page lists her bio as a deputy assistant to Hegseth for strategic engagement. 

Similar to Hegseth’s brother and attorney, even if Radabaugh does work at the Pentagon, it’s unclear if its needed for her to be on a need to know basis regarding military strikes.  

Radabaugh worked with the Hegseths at Fox from 2016 onward, going from an executive producer of Fox & Friends to vice president of Fox Nation.

She left Fox in 2023 to start a faith-based media company called State of Grace Media.   

Pete Hegseth (pictured left) was accused of having another Signal chat open where he texted details of U.S. military strikes, this time to one that included his wife (pictured right) and a close friend and former Fox News colleague

Athird chat has been revealed that included Hegseth’s wife, Pentagon Chief Spokesman Sean Parnell and fellow former Fox producer Tami Radabaugh (pictured) 

The story largely focuses on Rauchet, Hegseth’s third wife, and her influence despite having no official job at the Pentagon. 

Rauchet is reportedly very focused on the media appearances Hegseth makes and projecting a positive image of her husband in the job.  

‘We would always hear that she was saying what kind of videos he should be doing, and what kind of statements he should be doing, and how the press should be handled,’ a Pentagon source told the Post.

She has met with Trump administration officials to discuss appointments and endorsed candidates for jobs within the Pentagon.  

‘Secretary Hegseth has delivered more victories to the DoD in 100 days than most Secretaries have in four years. We are focused on RESULTS,’ Kingsley Wilson, a Pentagon spokeswoman, said in a statement.

Radabaugh did respond to DailyMail.com’s request for comment. 

It comes after multiple reports of leaked group chats via the private messaging service has made the most noise of any department in the second Trump administration and put Secretary Hegseth under fire. 

The Defense Secretary has been furious about leaks in the department, telling Fox News ‘I don’t have time for leakers’ or the ‘hoax press that peddles old stories from disgruntled employees.’

Radabaugh worked with the Hegseths at Fox from 2016 onward, going from an executive producer of Fox & Friends to vice president of Fox Nation

Rauchet, Hegseth’s third wife, reportedly has heavy influence on her husband despite having no official job at the Pentagon

‘Disgruntled former employees are peddling things to try to save their a**,’ he said.

Among the leaks were details of his trip to the Panama Canal and a China briefing with Elon Musk that was ultimately canceled personally by President Trump himself according to reports.

Former Pentagon spokesperson John Ullyot published an op-ed in Politico claiming that the first month of Hegseth’s leadership was ‘a month of total chaos’ and warned that his days were numbered in the Pentagon.

Hegseth was dismissive of Ullyot’s op-ed, pointing to unprofessional behavior.

‘Anybody that knows John knows why we let him go. We did a lot of favors for John. He did some good work up front, then he was moved along,’ he told Fox News.

Hegseth acknowledged that the investigation was disruptive as it pointed at longtime advisors but reasserted he was committed to stopping the leaks.

‘It led to some unfortunate places, people I have known for quite some time. But it’s not my job to protect them. It’s my job to protect national security, the president of the United States, and let the investigation go where it is,’ he said.

He vowed to remain in his job as long as he continued to have the president’s support.

A locked Instagram page lists Radabaugh’s bio as a deputy assistant to Hegseth for strategic engagement

Similar to Hegseth’s brother and attorney, even if Radabaugh (pictured right) does work at the Pentagon, it’s unclear if its needed for her to be on a need to know basis regarding military strikes

‘I haven’t blinked, and I won’t blink because this job is too big and too important for the American people and I’m grateful for every opportunity the president has given me,’ he said.

The leak investigation at the Pentagon began on March 21 when Hegseth’s chief of staff Kasper ordered the probe.

The probe included military operational plans for the Panama canal, a second carrier headed to the Red Sea, the pausing the collection of intelligence to Ukraine, and the leak that Elon Musk’s would meet with Hegseth about the U.S. war plans for China, an official told Politico.

Kasper said the probe would examine ‘recent unauthorized disclosures of national security information’ and said polygraphs would be used.

‘The use of polygraphs in the execution of this investigation will be in accordance with applicable law and policy,’ he wrote. ‘This investigation will commence immediately and culminate in a report to the Secretary of Defense.’

He noted that ‘information identifying a party responsible for an unauthorized disclosure’ would be referred for criminal prosecution.’

Kasper ordered the probe one day after the New York Times reported the Pentagon set up a briefing with Elon Musk on a potential war with China.

Caldwell played a critical role as an adviser to Hegseth. 

He was the staff member designated as Hegseth’s point person in the Signal messaging chat that top Trump administration national security officials, including the defense secretary, used to convey plans for a military strike against Houthi militants in Yemen.

The chat, set up by national security adviser Michael Waltz, included a number of Cabinet members and came to light because Jeffrey Goldberg, editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, was accidentally added to the group.

Caldwell and Hegseth have a longtime friendship, going back to Hegseth’s time as the head of Concerned Veterans for America, a nonprofit. Caldwell worked at CVA beginning in 2013 as policy director and later as executive director. 

Additionally, Caldwell was by Hegseth’s side on Capitol Hill as the former Fox News host fought to keep his nomination alive during questions about his treatment of women. 

Selnick also performed the duties of the under secretary of Defense for personnel and readiness. He served in the White House and the Department of Veterans Affairs in the first Trump administration. 

And he also has ties to Concerned Veterans for America, where he served as a senior adviser.

All three suspended aides are close in age and share the same isolationist view of foreign policy. That view is also shared by Vice President J.D. Vance and Don Trump Jr., the president’s oldest son.