A long-awaited Pentagon report has concluded that Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth violated departmental policies by disclosing classified information in a Signal messaging chat, as stated by a person briefed on the findings.
Particulars of the Incident
The online conversation in dispute included details about a scheduled air attack in Yemen against Houthi fighters. This discussion was revealed after a journalist for the Atlantic was included as a member.
Other officials in the chat reportedly included JD Vance, CIA director John Ratcliffe, and former security advisor Mike Waltz. The report focused solely on the conduct of Hegseth, as the other participants do not work at the Pentagon.
Signal is a publicly available messaging app that was not approved for transmitting sensitive material.
Potential Threat to Troops
The internal investigation determined that the information shared by Hegseth was classified and could have endangered the safety of US service members if it had been obtained by a hostile nation.
However, the report acknowledged that Hegseth had the ability to declassify the information he shared, though it was not specified whether he actually did so.
Hegseth's Reaction
The informed individual indicated that Hegseth declined an interview by the inspector general. Instead, he submitted a brief written statement.
In his response, Hegseth asserted he only disclosed information that would not have endangered personnel or jeopardized the operation. He further stated that he possessed the authority to declassify material and considered the investigation to be politically motivated.
Next Steps
The completed report has been shared with Congress. An unclassified version is anticipated to be made public later this week.
