Hegseth could have endangered troop safety with Signal chat - Pentagon watchdog
Details of the March strike were discussed on the commercial messaging app Signal and were first released after a journalist was accidentally added to the group chat.
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth may have jeopardized the safety of troops by using an unsecured messaging app to discuss a planned strike against militants in Yemen, according to a report by the Pentagon’s inspector general, an internal watchdog.
Using his personal device, Hegseth shared information from a classified report, but the inspector general noted that the secretary has the authority to determine classification.
The inspector general’s office released an undisclosed copy of the report on Thursday.
The inspector general (IG) found that Hegseth acted against Pentagon policy by using the unsecured messaging app, as well as his personal device, to communicate classified information about an airstrike against Houthi fighters before it took place.
“The use of a personal cell phone for official business and the sending of nonpublic Department of Defense information via Signal could compromise sensitive Department of Defense information, potentially harming Department of Defense personnel and mission objectives,” the report said.
It showed Hegseth discussing specific targets and the timing of the attacks, as well as the types of weapons that would be used.
The information came from a classified email labeled "SECRET//NOFORN," meaning its contents were classified, could harm national security if released, and should not be viewed by foreign nationals.
According to the inspector general's report, the Pentagon received only a partial copy of the messages from Hegseth's personal cell phone.
The inspector general "relied in part on the transcript published by The Atlantic ... to obtain a complete record."
What's Your Reaction?
