Hegseth's use of Signal app could have endangered troops, says IG report

An inspector general report has determined that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth breached Pentagon protocols and endangered U.S. servicemembers by sharing sensitive operational details via the encrypted messaging app Signal.

The investigation was prompted by an incident earlier this year when an editor from The Atlantic was accidentally added to a Signal group chat containing Hegseth and other senior officials. The chat included discussions of planned and ongoing U.S. strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen.

The IG noted that Hegseth refused to be interviewed and submitted only a limited selection of messages, compelling investigators to rely in part on previously published screenshots. In his written response, Hegseth claimed he had the authority to declassify the shared information and suggested the investigation was politically driven.

Investigators found that Hegseth had disseminated details about the planned strikes, including timing, target specifics, and aircraft movements, to two Signal groupsone of which included his wife and brother. While no immediate disaster occurred, the report concluded that the Secretarys actions created a risk to operational security that could have resulted in failed U.S. mission objectives and potential harm to U.S. pilots.

The IG also found that Hegseths use of a personal phone for official duties violated departmental regulations.

Despite these findings, Pentagon officials attempted to downplay the report. Sean Parnell, Assistant to the Secretary for Public Affairs, described the review as a TOTAL exoneration, asserting that no classified information had been compromised. Congressional Democrats disagreed strongly.

Rep. Adam Smith, ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee, said, This report is a damning review of an incompetent secretary of defense who is profoundly incapable of the job and clearly has no respect for or comprehension of what is required to safeguard our service members. It confirms staggering violations of policy, namely that unsecured platforms were used by the secretary to boast about sensitive operational details that could have jeopardized both the mission and, more importantly, the lives of American service members tasked with carrying out Operation Rough Rider.

Sen. Mark Kelly told reporters that it was clear he shouldnt have been using an unofficial, unsecured app to transmit this kind of information.

The report comes amid broader scrutiny of Hegseth, including his alleged role in a double-tap strike in the Caribbean, which raised concerns among military experts about potential war crimes. His tenure has also been marked by significant personnel changes and criticism of his leadership style.

Author: Benjamin Carter