Defense Department Investigation Finds Defense Secretary Put Military Personnel in Danger with Signal Conversation.
A long-awaited Department of Defense report has determined that Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth violated official protocols by sharing secret information in a private Signal group, according to a source familiar with the report.
Details of the Incident
The online conversation in question contained particulars about a planned air attack in Yemen against Houthi fighters. This chat came to light after a journalist for the Atlantic was added as a member.
Other individuals in the chat allegedly included Senator JD Vance, CIA director John Ratcliffe, and former security advisor Mike Waltz. The investigation focused solely on the actions of Hegseth, as the other officials do not work at the Pentagon.
Signal is a publicly available communication application that was not approved for handling sensitive material.
Serious Threat to Forces
The inspector general's report found that the intelligence circulated by Hegseth was classified and posed a risk to the safety of US service members if it had been intercepted by a hostile nation.
However, the document acknowledged that Hegseth possessed the authority to downgrade the material he distributed, though it was unclear whether he actually did so.
Secretary's Reaction
The informed individual said that Hegseth declined an interview by the inspector general. Instead, he submitted a brief written statement.
In his response, Hegseth asserted he only disclosed details that would not have endangered personnel or compromised the operation. He further stated that he had the right to downgrade information and considered the investigation to be partisan.
Next Steps
The finalized investigation has been provided to lawmakers. An publicly releasable copy is anticipated to be made public later this week.
