US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth’s wife attended a sensitive Pentagon meeting involving British officials and discussions about the risks facing UK personnel in Ukraine. Her presence at the high-level gathering has raised questions.&nbsp;Jennifer Rauchet, who had no official role in the Trump administration at the time, attended the meeting only for introductions, Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell told The Times in response to its report published on Wednesday (Aug 19). British officials reportedly waited for Rauchet to leave before discussing their officers stationed in Ukraine in greater detail, according to the newspaper.&nbsp;The meeting included senior British officials, including the then-head of the UK armed forces. The Wall Street Journal had previously reported on Rauchet’s attendance in March 2025, but The Times reported that the gathering also involved discussions about British personnel operating on the ground in Ukraine amid the war with Russia.&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/never-thought-they-were-going-to-betray-me-like-this-ex-cia-informant-who-helped-in-intel-on-osama-bin-laden-faces-deportation-1787211814870">‘Never thought they were going to betray me like this’: Ex-CIA informant who helped in intel on Osama bin Laden faces deportation</a>&nbsp;The episode has drawn criticism from former Pentagon officials. John Ullyot, who previously served as the Pentagon’s chief spokesperson, told The Times that it was “bonkers” for a defence secretary to involve his wife in sensitive official duties.&nbsp;Ullyot also argued that US President Donald Trump “deserves better judgment from his national security leaders” and questioned why Hegseth had faced no apparent consequences over Rauchet’s presence at sensitive meetings.&nbsp;He also referred to other controversies involving Hegseth, including the Signal group chat incident last year in which senior Trump administration officials discussed planned US strikes on Yemen in a group that accidentally included The Atlantic’s editor-in-chief.&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/who-is-natalie-harp-trump-s-human-printer-is-making-headlines-again-here-s-why-1787024735322">Who is Natalie Harp? Trump’s ‘human printer’ is making headlines again. Here’s why</a>&nbsp;The Pentagon pushed back against Ullyot’s criticism. Acting Pentagon press secretary Joel Valdez accused him of attacking Hegseth after leaving the administration, calling his comments embarrassing. Valdez also shared a post by Donald Trump J., who had previously said Ullyot was “officially exiled from our movement” after he left the Pentagon in April 2025.&nbsp;

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth faces criticism after his wife, Jennifer Rauchet, attended a sensitive Pentagon meeting with British officials regarding UK personnel in Ukraine despite lacking an official role.

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth’s wife attended a sensitive Pentagon meeting involving British officials and discussions about the risks facing UK personnel in Ukraine. Her presence at the high-level gathering has raised questions. Jennifer Rauchet, who had no official role in the Trump administration at the time, attended the meeting only for introductions, Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell told The Times in response to its report published on Wednesday (Aug 19). British officials reportedly waited for Rauchet to leave before discussing their officers stationed in Ukraine in greater detail, according to the newspaper. The meeting included senior British officials, including the then-head of the UK armed forces. The Wall Street Journal had previously reported on Rauchet’s attendance in March 2025, but The Times reported that the gathering also involved discussions about British personnel operating on the ground in Ukraine amid the war with Russia. Also read: ‘Never thought they were going to betray me like this’: Ex-CIA informant who helped in intel on Osama bin Laden faces deportation The episode has drawn criticism from former Pentagon officials. John Ullyot, who previously served as the Pentagon’s chief spokesperson, told The Times that it was “bonkers” for a defence secretary to involve his wife in sensitive official duties. Ullyot also argued that US President Donald Trump “deserves better judgment from his national security leaders” and questioned why Hegseth had faced no apparent consequences over Rauchet’s presence at sensitive meetings. He also referred to other controversies involving Hegseth, including the Signal group chat incident last year in which senior Trump administration officials discussed planned US strikes on Yemen in a group that accidentally included The Atlantic’s editor-in-chief. Also read: Who is Natalie Harp? Trump’s ‘human printer’ is making headlines again. Here’s why The Pentagon pushed back against Ullyot’s criticism. Acting Pentagon press secretary Joel Valdez accused him of attacking Hegseth after leaving the administration, calling his comments embarrassing. Valdez also shared a post by Donald Trump J., who had previously said Ullyot was “officially exiled from our movement” after he left the Pentagon in April 2025.

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth faces criticism after his wife, Jennifer Rauchet, attended a sensitive Pentagon meeting with British officials regarding UK personnel in Ukraine despite lacking an official role.

‘She has no official role’: Questions mount after Hegseth’s wife attended sensitive Pentagon meeting on Ukraine

Jennifer Rauchet, the third wife of the US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, wore a dusty pink gown at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner on Saturday (April 25) - and the dress has sparked an unexpected political and social media debate.&nbsp;According to Australia-based outlet news.com.au, the dress is believed to have been priced at around $US42 on fast-fashion platform Shein. What began as a fashion observation quickly evolved into a broader online debate. Critics questioned Rauchet’s choice of attire, pointing to allegations surrounding Shein, including concerns over labour practices, environmental impact and the use of harmful substances.&nbsp;But, the backlash soon shifted focus towards those criticising Rauchet. An 18-year-old influencer, Ella Devi, drew attention after posting on the social media platform X that Rauchet’s outfit resembled a dress from Shein rival Temu. Her remarks prompted a wave of criticism, with many users defending Rauchet for opting for a relatively inexpensive outfit for a formal event.&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/burning-of-white-house-to-speaking-french-king-charles-iii-roasts-americans-during-us-visit-trump-claps-1777445977668">Burning of White House to 'speaking French': King Charles III ROASTS Americans during US visit, Trump claps</a>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">So folks are melting down over Pete Hegseth’s wife’s dress she wore to the WHCD event. Apparently it’s from Temu. If it were expensive, you’d call her privileged or something. But because it’s supposedly from Temu you call her poor and cheap. Never happy. Who cares. She… <a href="https://t.co/XqkjsWJ97u">pic.twitter.com/XqkjsWJ97u</a>&mdash; Jay Bee (@TheRealJBx) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheRealJBx/status/2048756259730375093?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 27, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Pete Hegseth’s wife is going viral for wearing this dress to the White House correspondents dinner <a href="https://t.co/pXPxSgji0f">pic.twitter.com/pXPxSgji0f</a>&mdash; Matt Wallace (@MattWallace888) <a href="https://twitter.com/MattWallace888/status/2048196666130620555?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 26, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">She looks amazing. I thought the left was about “eating the rich”? Now you want to dunk on someone who didn’t waste $10,000 on a dress they will only ever wear once? <a href="https://twitter.com/JennyHegseth?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JennyHegseth</a> looks amazing. She’s rocking that dress and she is very pretty. <a href="https://twitter.com/PeteHegseth?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PeteHegseth</a> is a lucky man.… <a href="https://t.co/JPSOJu9Ijc">https://t.co/JPSOJu9Ijc</a>&mdash; Laura Loomer (@LauraLoomer) <a href="https://twitter.com/LauraLoomer/status/2048790444209779083?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 27, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<h2>How did the internet react?</h2>Several social media users argued that the criticism was misplaced, with one writing that Rauchet “didn’t waste $10,000 on a dress they will only ever wear once”, while another pointed out the irony of criticising affordability amid broader political narratives about wealth inequality. Others said fashion choices should not be a focal point, particularly as the evening itself was overshadowed by a security incident.&nbsp;The debate also drew in conservative commentator Laura Loomer, who defended Rauchet’s choice, questioning why an affordable outfit should be mocked. “She looks amazing. I thought the left was about ‘eating the rich’? Now you want to dunk on someone who didn’t waste $10,000 on a dress they will only ever wear once?" she wrote.&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/-hms-trump-for-donald-trump-what-king-charles-wwii-era-bell-gift-means-1777429969449">'HMS Trump' for Donald Trump: What King Charles' WWII-era bell gift means</a>&nbsp;At the same time, some users highlighted what they described as hypocrisy in Devi’s criticism. According to the New York Post, the influencer frequently showcases luxury brands such as Chanel, Burberry and Givenchy on her social media accounts.&nbsp;Responding to the backlash, Devi maintained her position, arguing that if the dress design originated from overseas platforms, it conflicted with “America first” messaging often associated with Hegseth. Some users echoed this sentiment, suggesting public figures should prioritise American designers.

Jennifer Rauchet sparked debate by wearing a $42 Shein dress to the WHCD. Critics cited labour concerns and “America First” contradictions, while defenders praised her frugality over luxury waste.

Jennifer Rauchet, the third wife of the US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, wore a dusty pink gown at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner on Saturday (April 25) - and the dress has sparked an unexpected political and social media debate. According to Australia-based outlet news.com.au, the dress is believed to have been priced at around $US42 on fast-fashion platform Shein. What began as a fashion observation quickly evolved into a broader online debate. Critics questioned Rauchet’s choice of attire, pointing to allegations surrounding Shein, including concerns over labour practices, environmental impact and the use of harmful substances. But, the backlash soon shifted focus towards those criticising Rauchet. An 18-year-old influencer, Ella Devi, drew attention after posting on the social media platform X that Rauchet’s outfit resembled a dress from Shein rival Temu. Her remarks prompted a wave of criticism, with many users defending Rauchet for opting for a relatively inexpensive outfit for a formal event. Also read: Burning of White House to 'speaking French': King Charles III ROASTS Americans during US visit, Trump claps

Jennifer Rauchet sparked debate by wearing a $42 Shein dress to the WHCD. Critics cited labour concerns and “America First” contradictions, while defenders praised her frugality over luxury waste.

Pete Hegseth’s wife wears a $42 dress at WHCD - and sparks political debate online. Here’s why

After the Singal app's data leak, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth is facing heat for bringing his wife to military meetings. Watch this report for more details!

Hegseth brought wife to 'sensitive' military meetings: Report

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‘She has no official role’: Questions mount after Hegseth’s wife attended sensitive Pentagon meeting on Ukraine

Pete Hegseth’s wife wears a $42 dress at WHCD and sparks political debate online

Hegseth brought wife to 'sensitive' military meetings: Report