🔗 Share this article Pentagon Investigation Finds Defense Secretary Put Military Personnel in Jeopardy with Signal Conversation. A long-awaited Department of Defense report has concluded that Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth violated official protocols by sharing classified information in a Signal messaging chat, as stated by a source familiar with the report. Particulars of the Incident The chat group in question included details about a planned airstrike in Yemen against Houthi militants. This chat came to light after a reporter for the Atlantic was added as a participant. Other individuals in the group allegedly included JD Vance, CIA director John Ratcliffe, and former security advisor Mike Waltz. The report focused solely on the actions of Hegseth, as the other participants are not employed at the Pentagon. Signal is a publicly available communication application that was not approved for handling sensitive material. Serious Risk to Forces The inspector general's report found that the information shared by Hegseth was classified and posed a risk to the safety of US service members if it had been intercepted by a hostile nation. 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. Hegseth's Response The informed individual indicated that Hegseth declined an interview by the inspector general. Instead, he submitted a brief written statement. In his statement, Hegseth claimed he only disclosed details that would not have risked lives or jeopardized the operation. He added that he had the right to downgrade information and viewed the inspector general to be politically motivated. Next Steps The completed report has been shared with lawmakers. An publicly releasable copy is expected to be made public in the coming days.