A highly anticipated Department of Defense review has determined that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth violated official protocols by disclosing classified information in a Signal messaging chat, according to a person briefed on the findings.
Particulars of the Incident
The online conversation in question included particulars about a scheduled airstrike 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 group reportedly included JD Vance, CIA director John Ratcliffe, and then-national security adviser Mike Waltz. The investigation focused solely on the actions of Hegseth, as the other participants do not work at the Pentagon.
Signal is a commercially offered messaging app that was not approved for transmitting classified information.
Serious Threat to Troops
The internal investigation determined that the information circulated by Hegseth was secret and could have endangered the safety of US troops if it had been obtained by a foreign enemy force.
However, the report acknowledged that Hegseth possessed the authority to declassify the information he distributed, though it was unclear whether he formally did so.
Hegseth's Response
The source said that Hegseth refused to be interviewed by the inspector general. Instead, he submitted a short written response.
In his response, Hegseth asserted he only shared information that would not have risked lives or jeopardized the operation. He further stated that he possessed the authority to declassify material and considered the inspector general to be politically motivated.
Next Steps
The completed report has been provided to lawmakers. An unclassified version is expected to be released in the coming days.
