A highly anticipated Department of Defense review has concluded that Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth violated official protocols by disclosing classified intelligence in a private Signal group, as stated by a person briefed on the findings.
Details of the Event
The online conversation in dispute included details about a planned air attack in Yemen against Houthi militants. This discussion was revealed after a journalist for the Atlantic was included as a member.
Other officials in the group allegedly included Senator JD Vance, CIA director John Ratcliffe, and former security advisor Mike Waltz. The investigation focused solely on the actions of Hegseth, as the other officials do not work at the Department of Defense.
Signal is a commercially offered messaging app that was not approved for handling sensitive material.
Serious Threat to Troops
The inspector general's report found that the intelligence shared by Hegseth was classified and posed a risk to the safety of US service members if it had been obtained by a foreign enemy force.
Notably, the document also noted that Hegseth possessed the authority to downgrade the material he distributed, though it was unclear whether he formally did so.
Secretary's Reaction
The source indicated that Hegseth refused to be interviewed by the inspector general. Instead, he provided a short written response.
In his response, Hegseth asserted he only shared details that would not have endangered personnel or jeopardized the mission. He further stated that he possessed the authority to downgrade information and considered the investigation to be partisan.
Next Steps
The finalized investigation has been provided to lawmakers. An unclassified version is anticipated to be made public later this week.
