U.S. defense chief under fire

[Anchor]

The U.S. Secretary of Defense is facing controversy after it was revealed that he shared military confidential information through a civilian messenger app called 'Signal' with family members and others.

The White House has denied the allegations for now, but rumors of a potential replacement for the Secretary of Defense are spreading.

Kim Kyung-soo reports from Washington.

[Report]

Last month, the U.S. military launched a large-scale attack on Houthi rebels in Yemen under the orders of President Trump.

F/A-18 Hornet fighter jets were deployed, and it was reported by the New York Times that Secretary of Defense Hegseth shared the schedule of airstrikes involving these jets in a chat room with his wife and brother.

He allegedly installed the civilian messenger app Signal on his personal phone and transmitted sensitive military information to individuals who did not have clearance.

The controversy intensified as it was already known that Secretary Hegseth had previously shared the same airstrike plans in a chat room that included journalists.

Secretary Hegseth strongly denied the allegations.

[Pete Hegseth/U.S. Secretary of Defense: "Full of hoaxters that peddle anonymous sources from leakers with axes to grind."]

The White House also attempted to manage the situation.

[Donald Trump/U.S. President: "I guess it sounds like disgruntled employees. You know, he was put there to get rid of a lot of bad people."]

However, the former chief spokesperson of the Defense Department, who worked with Hegseth until last week, publicly criticized that the Defense Department has become completely chaotic, filled with betrayal, mistakes, and dysfunction, indicating that the controversy is not subsiding.

Despite the White House calling it fake news, reports have emerged that they are looking for a successor for the Secretary of Defense.

The pressure for a replacement of Secretary Hegseth is increasingly growing.

This is Kim Kyung-soo from KBS News in Washington.