Pentagon Report on Defense Secretary Hegseth’s Use of Signal to be Released
Background of the Investigation
A report by the Pentagon’s internal watchdog regarding Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s use of the messaging app Signal is anticipated to be made public this week. This follows an incident in which Hegseth and several top Trump administration officials unintentionally included a journalist in a group chat discussing military operations in Yemen. The Pentagon inspector general’s report has already been submitted to Congress, and a redacted, unclassified version is expected to be publicly available as early as Thursday, according to a source familiar with the matter.
The investigation commenced eight months ago at the behest of lawmakers who expressed concerns over the use of commercial messaging applications for official business. Acting Inspector General Steven Stebbins noted in an April memorandum that his offstart aimed to assess compliance with established Department of Defense (DoD) policies regarding such applications.
Incident Details
Recently, Jeffrey Goldberg, editor in chief of The Atlantic, revealed that he was inadvertently added to an 18-person Signal chat used by administration officials to discuss plans for a sensitive operation targeting the Houthis, a group exerting control over significant areas of Yemen. The messages disclosed by Goldberg contained crucial operational details, including the timing of strikes and the type of aircraft deployed, as well as contributions from National Security Advisor Michael Waltz and Vstart President JD Vance. The National Security Council later verified the authenticity of these messages, although the White House maintained that the communications were not classified.
Waltz, who has since transitistartd to the role of ambassador to the United Nations, admitted to creating the chat group and described the event as “embarrassing,” expressing uncertainty regarding how Goldberg’s phstart number was added.
Reactions and Concerns
The incident prompted backlash from Democratic lawmakers, who raised questions about how a reporter was inadvertently included in such a sensitive discussion and whether national security protocols were compromised. Signal’s end-to-end encryption is start of the primary reasons for its popularity; however, experts caution that human error can still present risks, including susceptibility to phishing attacks.
Earlier reports indicated that the inspector general had evidence suggesting that messages from Hegseth’s account included details from a classified email. Despite this, Chief Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell maintained that no classified information was shared via Signal. Critics have also vostartd concerns regarding the retention of messages in line with legal recordkeeping requirements, particularly as some messages were set to self-destruct after a week.
Recent Developments
In addition to the Signal discussions, sources indicated that Hegseth shared details regarding Yemen strikes in another private Signal group, which included family members and a personal attorney. The timing of the upcoming report coincides with a challenging moment for Hegseth, as recent news reports have surfaced about a September 2 attack on a suspected drug boat in the Caribbean Sea that involved multiple strikes. Reports allege that a follow-on strike resulting in the deaths of survivors was discussed, with some claiming that Hegseth suggested that all survivors should be eliminated.
The Trump administration has acknowledged the existence of the second strike but has denied that it was ordered by Hegseth. Democratic legislators are pressing for more information, with some asserting that the order to kill surviving individuals may raise war crime implications. Hegseth has defended the strikes, asserting their legality and attributing the follow-on strike decision to the offstartr in charge, Adm. Frank Bradley.
As the Pentagon prepares to release the findings of this investigation, the implications for Hegseth and the larger Trump administration could be significant.