Exclusive: Watchdog discovers Hegseth endangered troops by sharing sensitive war plans on Signal, according to sources.

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth potentially exposed critical military operations, posing risks to American forces and strategic missions, by transmitting highly sensitive attack plans against Houthi forces in Yemen through Signal this past March, according to four individuals familiar with a classified report from the Inspector General.

While the exact consequences of Hegseths actions remain uncertain, two sources indicated that the IG acknowledged the defense secretarys ability to declassify information. Hegseth claimed he acted on an operational judgment at the time, although no formal documentation supports this assertion. An unclassified version of the report is scheduled for public release on Thursday, following the delivery of the classified version to Congress on Tuesday evening.

Messages sent from Hegseths Signal account contained details derived from documents marked classified at the time, including precise, real-time updates about planned military strikes. One message reportedly stated: This is when the first bombs will drop. It is still unclear whether Hegseth officially declassified the information before sharing it with senior Trump administration officials and a journalist, Jeffrey Goldberg of The Atlantic, who was inadvertently added to the chat.

Hegseth did not participate in an in-person interview with the Inspector General, instead submitting a written account of events. The IGs conclusions are included in a comprehensive report following a months-long inquiry into Hegseths use of Signal.

The findings emphasize that Hegseth should not have relied on Signal for these communications, and they highlight the need for enhanced training on handling sensitive information for senior Defense Department personnel. The Pentagon has not provided a comment on the report.

The investigations release may intensify bipartisan scrutiny of Hegseths judgment and rekindle attention to a controversy that nearly led to his dismissal earlier this year.

Author: Riley Thompson