A highly anticipated Department of Defense review has concluded that Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth breached official protocols by sharing secret intelligence in a Signal messaging chat, as stated by a source familiar with the report.
Particulars of the Incident
The chat group in question included particulars about a scheduled air attack in Yemen targeting Houthi militants. This discussion came to light after a journalist for the Atlantic was included as a member.
Other officials in the chat allegedly included JD Vance, CIA director John Ratcliffe, and then-national security adviser Mike Waltz. The investigation focused solely on the conduct of Hegseth, as the other participants are not employed at the Pentagon.
Signal is a publicly available messaging app that was not authorized for handling sensitive material.
Serious Threat to Troops
The inspector general's report found that the information shared by Hegseth was secret and could have endangered the lives 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 information he shared, though it was unclear whether he actually exercised that authority.
Hegseth's Response
The source indicated that Hegseth refused to be interviewed by the inspector general. Instead, he submitted a short written response.
In his response, Hegseth asserted he only disclosed details that would not have risked lives or jeopardized the operation. He further stated that he had the right to declassify material and considered the investigation to be politically motivated.
Next Steps
The finalized investigation has been provided to Congress. An unclassified version is expected to be released in the coming days.
