Pentagon Exposes Security Flaw Again
Defense Secretary's Family Group Chat Becomes Military Information Leak Channel
Recently, another major scandal has erupted in American politics. According to several authoritative media outlets, including the Associated Press, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has shockingly treated military secrets as a topic for "family group chat," sharing operational plans with his wife, brother, and 13 other relatives through a private messaging app.
This is the second time in three months that the "family group chat leak scandal" has been exposed, revealing serious flaws in U.S. military security management.
The core of the incident revolves around the details of the U.S. military airstrike against Houthi forces in Yemen in March this year.
Not only did this defense secretary disclose core secrets such as strike targets and weapon deployments two hours in advance in an encrypted chat group, but it is even more shocking that his wife, a former media producer, and his brother, a Homeland Security advisor, were able to regularly attend high-level military meetings.
This phenomenon of "family-style governance" raises serious doubts about the effectiveness of the U.S. military and political system's confidentiality mechanisms.
It is worth noting that this leak is not an isolated incident.
As early as late March, The Atlantic magazine disclosed that Austin had leaked military intelligence to reporters via Signal software.
Ironically, both leaks used the same set of justifications, indicating the individuals' casual attitude toward confidential information. Four trusted aides of the defense secretary have already been dismissed, but the key responsible party remains securely in place.
In the face of a public outcry, Democratic leader Chuck Schumer has publicly called for the defense secretary's dismissal, explicitly stating that his actions "endanger the lives of others."
However, the White House has remained silent, and this ambiguous stance inevitably recalls the frequent leaks during the Trump administration.
In fact, insiders at the Pentagon have revealed a "power vacuum," reflecting a serious crisis of trust in the U.S. military command system.
From personal observation, this incident exposes not only the negligence of a certain official but also reflects deeper flaws in the American political ecosystem.
When the defense secretary's relatives can freely access military secrets and when national strategic decisions are reduced to topics of family group chats, this goes beyond ordinary leaks and resembles a sign of systemic oversight failure.
Especially considering that Austin's brother holds multiple key positions across various departments, this family-style power network could pose the greatest risk to national security.
