Hegseth's wife managing his image at the Pentagon

The wife of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth took on an active role in managing his public appearances and even crafting messaging issued by the Department of Defense itself, a new report claimed on Wednesday.

- John Bowden

Jennifer Rauchet, the Washington Post reported, often acts as a go-between who transmits her husband's plans to agency staffers. The former Fox News producer does not hold an official position at the Pentagon but has been identified as a constant presence at the agency over the past several months. The Wall Street Journal first reported in March that Rauchet was present at two meetings between her husband and his foreign military counterparts where “sensitive” information was discussed. At the time, the Pentagon declined to say if she had any kind of security clearance, which some spouses of officials sometimes do.

Now, the Post reports that Rauchet is involved in at least two group chats using the public encrypted Signal messaging app with Pentagon appointees, and at times has directed agency staffers directly on managing the secretary's image via social media. “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,” one unnamed person told the Post.