Confidential report from Pentagon watchdog regarding Hegseth's use of Signal forwarded to lawmakers

The final classified version of the Pentagon Inspector Generals report on Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseths use of Signal for discussing sensitive military matters has been submitted to the House and Senate Armed Services Committees, according to three sources familiar with the situation. A declassified, redacted edition of the report is expected to be publicly released on Thursday, two sources added.

The inquiry, initiated in April at the request of the chairman and ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, concluded in September. However, the Inspector Generals office has spent several months negotiating edits with Hegseth. It is standard procedure for the IG to allow the subject of a review to provide input and suggest changes.

The Pentagon Inspector General began the investigation after The Atlantic reported that Hegseth shared information via Signal regarding U.S. military operations in Yemen. This included exact details about the timing, execution, and resources involved in upcoming U.S. strikes against the Houthi rebels. Following that disclosure, the top Republican and Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee requested an IG review to determine whether Hegseth breached laws concerning classified information handling or federal record retention.

Reports indicate that Hegseths Signal account shared information about the anti-Houthi operation in at least two group chats, one of which involved his wife, brother, and personal attorney. A witness told the IG during the investigation that they participated in approximately a dozen Signal chats with Hegseth, although it is uncertain if all contained sensitive operational data.

The IG examined whether anyone else might have entered information into Hegseths Signal chats on his behalf and questioned witnesses about potential access to his phone. Evidence showed that the military plans shared by Hegseth originated from a U.S. Central Command document that was classified at the time as Secret/NOFORN, meaning it should not have been viewed by foreign nationals. Hegseth possesses original classification authority, allowing him to declassify information before sharing, though it remains unclear whether he did so.

Author: Sophia Brooks