NOTE: If you are short on time, watch the video and complete this See, Think, Wonder activity: What did you notice? What did the story make you think about? What would you want to learn more about?
SUMMARY
Pressure is building on Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. The Washington Post first reported and the News Hour confirmed that Hegseth had the unclassified messaging app Signal installed on a computer in his Pentagon office. All of this is unfolding as chaos is mounting at the Pentagon with the firings of top Hegseth aides. For more information on the Signal chat story, click here.
View the transcript of the story.
News alternative: Check out recent segments from the NewsHour, and choose the story you’re most interested in watching. You can make a Google doc copy of discussion questions that work for any of the stories here.
WARM-UP QUESTIONS
- Who is Pete Hegseth?
- Where does Hegseth work?
- What is Signal?
- Why did Hegseth come under scrutiny for using Signal last month? What happened in this most recent story involving Hegseth?
- How are top Pentagon officials meant to communicate classified information?
FOCUS QUESTIONS
- Why are government officials including those at the Pentagon not allowed to use personal devices while they are at work?
- Do you think Pentagon officials should be using unsecured internet lines? Explain.
Media literacy: Why do you think the News Hour chose to interview a journalist for this story?
WHAT STUDENTS CAN DO
Discuss with a classmate or family member what you know about the Pentagon and the Department of Defense. Had you heard of the Signal app before this story?
Watch this News Hour story from March 28, 2025, after news broke of Trump officials using Signal for a group chat on military operations raised many questions about just how secure such messaging apps are and the risks of government officials using them on their personal devices.
Keep the following questions in mind as you watch the segment: What are the responsibilities of the Secretary of Defense? Why and when is government information considered classified? What should be done to ensure communications on important matters of defense are kept secure?
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