A long-awaited Department of Defense review has determined that Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth violated official protocols by disclosing classified information in a private Signal group, according to a source familiar with the report.
Details of the Incident
The chat group in dispute included particulars about a planned air attack in Yemen targeting Houthi militants. This chat came to light after a journalist for the Atlantic was included as a member.
Other individuals in the chat reportedly included Senator JD Vance, CIA director John Ratcliffe, and former security advisor Mike Waltz. The report focused solely on the actions of Hegseth, as the other officials do not work at the Pentagon.
Signal is a commercially offered communication application that was not approved for handling classified information.
Serious Risk to Troops
The internal investigation determined that the information shared by Hegseth was classified and could have endangered the lives of US service members if it had been obtained by a foreign enemy force.
However, the document also noted that Hegseth had the ability to declassify the material he distributed, though it was unclear whether he formally exercised that authority.
Secretary's Reaction
The informed individual indicated that Hegseth refused to be interviewed by the investigators. Instead, he submitted a brief written statement.
In his response, Hegseth asserted he only shared details that would not have risked lives or jeopardized the mission. He further stated that he possessed the authority to declassify material and considered the inspector general to be politically motivated.
Future Actions
The finalized investigation has been provided to lawmakers. An unclassified version is expected to be made public in the coming days.
