Pentagon Watchdog Finds Hegseth's Use of Signal App Risked U.S. Troops' Safety

A Pentagon investigation has determined that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's use of the Signal messaging app to share sensitive information about a planned military strike in Yemen could have endangered U.S. personnel. The Defense Department's inspector general found that the information Hegseth transmitted via Signal had been properly classified by U.S. Central Command prior to his sharing it with colleagues and his wife. The report concluded that, due to the sensitivity of the information and the potential risk to troops if intercepted, it should not have been conveyed using the commercial app.

The investigation revealed that Hegseth declined to participate in an interview but provided a written statement asserting his authority to classify and declassify information, stating he acted within his rights. He also maintained that the information shared was not sensitive and would not have put troops at risk if exposed—a claim the inspector general rejected.

Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell stated that the review is a "TOTAL exoneration of Secretary Hegseth and proves what we knew all along—no classified information was shared." He added, "This matter is resolved, and the case is closed."

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt commented that the report "affirms what the Administration has said from the beginning—no classified information was leaked, and operational security was not compromised," adding that "President Trump stands by Secretary Hegseth."

The unclassified findings by the inspector general are expected to be released Thursday.

The existence of the Signal group chat was first reported by The Atlantic, which revealed that Hegseth, along with other members of President Donald Trump's national security team, discussed an upcoming military plan to attack sites in Yemen controlled by Houthi militants. The chat included details about the strike's execution, such as the use of F-18 fighter jets and Tomahawk cruise missiles, and specific timing of the attack.

In a separate chat, Hegseth reportedly shared similar details with his wife, who does not work at the Pentagon. The military operation proceeded as described in the Signal chat, with U.S. jets targeting Houthi positions, including missiles, radar, and air defense systems.

Following the revelations, Hegseth and his chief spokesman, Sean Parnell, insisted that the information shared was not classified. CIA Director John Ratcliffe and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard also testified that the chat did not include classified information.

In response to the incident, Senators Roger Wicker and Jack Reed called for the inspector general's investigation into the handling of the information. Wicker stated at the time that "the information as published recently appears to me to be of such a sensitive nature that, based on my knowledge, I would have wanted it classified."

The inspector general's report is expected to provide further insights into the handling of sensitive military information and the use of commercial messaging applications for official communications.