TX3DNews Staff | April 23, 2025
In North Texas, we take national security seriously. Our community is home to thousands of active-duty service members, veterans, defense contractors, and military families. They know the cost of chaos. That’s what makes the latest scandal involving U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth—and Rep. Keith Self’s defense of it—so hard to swallow.
Last week, it was revealed that Secretary Hegseth used unsecured Signal group chats to discuss sensitive U.S. military operations, including launch schedules for airstrikes in Yemen. This wasn’t a one-time misstep. According to the AP, multiple leaks involved people with no business knowing classified information: Hegseth’s wife, his brother, and a personal lawyer. And in a prior incident, a journalist was accidentally included in one of these chats.
This isn’t just a security failure—it’s a judgment crisis. One that should concern every voter in Texas’ 3rd Congressional District. And before we start clutching our pearls or attacking the messenger, let’s pause and focus on the real issue: why did the Secretary of Defense choose to share this information—sensitive or not—with his wife, brother, and personal lawyer on a Signal app? And just as importantly, why is Rep. Keith Self, a man who built his reputation on discipline and operational integrity, so quick to defend that decision instead of confronting it?
The Self Standard
Instead of calling for accountability, Rep. Keith Self took to social media and doubled down. In a tweet, he said:
“It’s no coincidence that the man chosen by President Trump to restore our U.S. military is now facing a siege of smears. The Pentagon Swamp is very deep. Keep fighting @SecDef.”
But this isn’t about Trump or swamps. It’s about national security. It’s about whether the man leading the Pentagon should be casually texting war plans like weekend barbecue invites. And it’s about whether our own representative knows the difference between political loyalty and military discipline.
And let’s not forget—the very sources of these leaks are people Hegseth brought with him. These weren’t deep state holdovers or bureaucratic saboteurs. This was his inner circle. He even fired his own chief of staff, reportedly for raising concerns. So if the ‘swamp’ is leaking, Hegseth helped build the dam.
Rep. Self, a retired Army colonel, knows better. He knows operational security. He knows classified briefings. And he knows that anyone else—an enlisted soldier, an analyst, or a contractor—would likely face criminal charges for doing what Hegseth did. Instead of focusing on the core issue—why the Secretary of Defense chose to share operational details, sensitive or not, with his wife, brother, and personal lawyer—Self is attempting to change the narrative. By framing this as a partisan smear campaign, he avoids addressing the fundamental breach in judgment at the heart of the scandal.
So why does he defend it?
Is there anything Pete Hegseth could do that would cause Rep. Self to reconsider his support? Or is this just blind loyalty—regardless of the facts? Instead of addressing a serious lapse in national security, Self seems more concerned with protecting a political ally than protecting the integrity of the office.
And where is this energy when it comes to issues that hit closer to home? When local businesses in TX-03 are struggling under fluctuating tariffs and uncertain trade policy, Self is notably silent. When residents need answers on pocketbook issues, supply chain disruptions, or rising costs tied to federal policy, they hear nothing. But when it comes to defending a controversial Secretary of Defense who mishandled sensitive military information? Suddenly, he’s front and center.
Why defend Hegseth—who has no ties to TX-03—while ignoring the real economic and national security concerns of your own constituents?
Why It Matters to TX-03
This isn’t just some Beltway drama. It’s a wake-up call that hits home here in TX-03, where national security isn’t an abstract issue—it’s part of daily life. Many of our neighbors in Collin County work directly or indirectly with the military. Frisco and Plano are hubs for defense contractors. McKinney has National Guard families and veterans who understand the weight of classified information. Princeton is home to military-connected students and families with loved ones serving overseas.
These are the people who live by the rules. They keep information secure. They protect missions and lives without fanfare. And now they’re watching a Defense Secretary brush off accountability—and a congressman who’s supposed to represent them standing silently by, or worse, cheering it on.
If someone like Hegseth can shrug off a leak of this scale, what kind of message does that send to those doing the hard, quiet work of defending our country? And if Rep. Self sees nothing wrong here, what does that say about his own judgment and priorities?
The Job Requires More
Secretary of Defense isn’t a media gig—even though that’s exactly what Pete Hegseth’s résumé reflects. His prior experience may have played well on TV, but leading the Pentagon isn’t about soundbites or segments. It’s not a reward for loyalty. It’s one of the most sensitive and consequential roles in the world. And if Pete Hegseth isn’t up to the task—and the growing body of evidence suggests he’s not—then defending him isn’t an act of strength. It’s an abdication of duty.
Rep. Self owes the people of TX-03 more than a soundbite. He owes them the kind of leadership he once practiced in uniform—focused, grounded, and accountable. Tweets aren’t leadership. And defending poor judgment isn’t strength.
Because when national security is on the line, silence isn’t neutral—it’s a liability. And blind loyalty doesn’t protect TX-03. It puts us at risk.
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