Pentagon's investigation reveals Pete Hegseth violated military regulations in Signalgate scandal

The U.S. Department of Defense Inspector General has determined in a recently submitted report that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth distributed classified information through a private Signal chat concerning an ongoing military operation in Yemen, according to individuals familiar with the document.

The investigation, which extended for over eight months, examined Hegseths use of the encrypted messaging platform Signal to circulate details regarding planned U.S. airstrikes in March. Findings indicate that the information he shared was labeled as "secret" and could have jeopardized American forces had it been accessed by foreign intelligence.

The report concluded that Hegseth also violated military protocols by conducting official business through his personal mobile device. Although he declined to participate in a full interview, he submitted a short written statement insisting that he believed no sensitive material was shared and that nothing he provided would harm personnel or the operation. Investigators disagreed with his assessment.

While the document acknowledges that Hegseth, as defense secretary, holds authority to declassify intelligence, it does not address whether any formal declassification procedures were followed before posting information in the chat.

Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell responded to the review by characterizing it as a complete exoneration and stated that the issue has been settled.

Senator Mark Kelly of Arizona, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, confirmed after reviewing the findings that Hegseth violated certain Defense Department regulations and emphasized the need to prevent similar incidents in the future.

The report has been distributed to congressional committees responsible for military and intelligence oversight. A public, redacted version has not yet been released.

The Signal group, which included leading national security officials from the Trump administration, became widely known after an Atlantic magazine editor was mistakenly added to the conversation. Investigators noted that Hegseth turned over only a limited set of his message history, relying primarily on screenshots later made public.

Reports indicate that minutes before the U.S. launched airstrikes against Houthi forces in Yemen, Army Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla sent confidential operational details to Hegseth through a secure system. Comparable information then surfaced in the Signal chats shared with senior officials, as well as through a separate conversation involving Hegseths family and his private attorney.

The release of the report comes as Hegseth faces wider scrutiny over a second strike ordered on a suspected drug-smuggling vessel in the Caribbean, which the Pentagon says carried 11 people. The first strike resulted in at least two survivors. Hegseth stated he did not witness survivors at the scene due to heavy fire and smoke, describing the situation as the fog of war.

Author: Ethan Caldwell