A Pentagon Inspector General report has found that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth violated agency policy by using the Signal messaging application to discuss U.S. airstrikes in Yemen.
The findings, released Thursday, are the result of a months-long investigation led by Pentagon Inspector General Steven Stebbins. The probe was initiated after a journalist reported in March being added to a Signal group chat where officials discussed plans concerning Houthi rebels in Yemen.
The 84-page report concluded that Hegseth's use of a commercially available encrypted messaging app on his personal cell phone to share highly sensitive military plans posed a potential risk to American servicemembers and mission objectives.
According to the report, "The Secretary sent nonpublic DoD information identifying the quantity and strike times of manned U.S. aircraft over hostile territory over an unapproved, unsecure network approximately 2 to 4 hours before the execution of those strikes." It further stated, "Using a personal cell phone to conduct official business and send nonpublic DoD information through Signal risks potential compromise of sensitive DoD information, which could cause harm to DoD personnel and mission objectives."
Hegseth did not participate in an interview for Stebbins' investigation but provided a written statement. In his statement, he contended that the information shared in the Signal chat did not require classification.
Prior to the report's public release, Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell issued a statement asserting that the findings exonerated Secretary Hegseth. Parnell stated, "The Inspector General review is a TOTAL exoneration of Secretary Hegseth and proves what we knew all along — no classified information was shared. This matter is resolved, and the case is closed."