1. United States
2. La.
3. Letter

The recent revelations about Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth sharing sensitive military operation details through an unsecured messaging application are highly concerning and unacceptable for someone in such a critical national security role. Disclosing classified information, even inadvertently, jeopardizes operations, risks lives of service members, and undermines the integrity of our defense apparatus. Hegseth's actions appear to violate federal laws like the Presidential Records Act and the Espionage Act, which are in place to safeguard national security information. Moreover, his conduct betrays the trust placed in him to prudently handle sensitive matters. For these reasons, I am compelled to request Hegseth's immediate removal from his position as Secretary of Defense. Our military deserves leadership that upholds the highest standards of professionalism, discretion and lawful conduct in handling classified matters vital to our national defense.