A long-awaited Department of Defense review has concluded that Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth breached official protocols by disclosing secret intelligence in a private Signal group, according to a source familiar with the report.
Particulars of the Incident
The online conversation in question included details about a scheduled airstrike in Yemen targeting Houthi fighters. This discussion was revealed after a reporter for the Atlantic was included as a member.
Other officials in the chat allegedly included Senator JD Vance, CIA director John Ratcliffe, and former security advisor Mike Waltz. The report did not examine the conduct of Hegseth, as the other participants are not employed at the Department of Defense.
Signal is a publicly available messaging app that was not authorized for transmitting sensitive material.
Serious Threat to Troops
The inspector general's report found that the information shared by Hegseth was classified and could have endangered the safety of US service members if it had been intercepted by a foreign enemy force.
However, the report acknowledged that Hegseth possessed the authority to downgrade the information he shared, though it was unclear whether he formally did so.
Hegseth's Reaction
The source indicated that Hegseth refused to be interviewed by the investigators. Instead, he submitted a short written response.
In his response, Hegseth asserted he only disclosed details that would not have endangered personnel or jeopardized the operation. He further stated that he possessed the authority to downgrade information and viewed the investigation to be politically motivated.
Future Actions
The completed report has been shared with lawmakers. An unclassified version is anticipated to be released in the coming days.
