Report finds Hegseth jeopardized troops by discussing war plans on Signal

The Pentagons watchdog is set to conclude in an upcoming report that US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth endangered military personnel and an active mission by sharing operational attack plans through a Signal group chat.

The leak occurred after national security adviser Mike Waltz mistakenly added The Atlantic editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg to a private Signal conversation containing highly sensitive details regarding a planned strike against Houthi forces. The group, titled Houthi PC small group, included 18 senior officials among them Hegseth, Waltz and Vice President JD Vance.

According to captured messages circulated within the chat, participants openly discussed launch schedules, bomb drop times and specific intentions to eliminate a Houthi commander in Yemen content exchanged just hours before the covert operation commenced. Members also criticized European allies for what they described as inadequate support.

Congress requested a formal review after internal disagreements arose over whether any of the shared messages were officially classified. The Inspector Generals assessment is expected to be released before noon on Thursday, and select lawmakers were briefed on its contents Wednesday.

The report will not determine whether Hegseth technically disclosed classified material, noting that the defence secretary himself holds authority to classify or declassify information. However, it will state that the data given to Hegseth was classified at the time and that distributing it on a private messaging platform could have compromised US forces and the operation if intercepted. The document suggests Houthi leadership may have escaped or moved among civilians had they detected the imminent attack.

Hegseth has repeatedly rejected accusations of sharing classified plans and declined to participate in an interview for the inquiry. In a written response, he maintained that he only transmitted information he deemed safe and within his power to declassify if necessary.

Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell declared the Inspector Generals conclusions a vindication, insisting the inquiry confirmed no classified material was transmitted and that the matter should now be considered closed.

The scrutiny comes as Hegseth faces broader pressure over recent US operations in the Caribbean, where the legality of lethal strikes on suspected narcotics vessels has come into question.

Author: Chloe Ramirez