Key Takeaways:
- Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth used the Signal messaging app to convey sensitive information about a military strike against Yemen’s Houthi militants, potentially putting U.S. personnel and their mission at risk.
- The Pentagon’s inspector general found that Hegseth violated Pentagon policy by using his personal device for official business and recommended better training for all Pentagon officials.
- Hegseth has the ability to declassify material, but the report did not find that he did so improperly.
- Lawmakers have called for an investigation into Hegseth’s use of the Signal app and have raised concerns about the potential risks to national security.
- The incident has sparked intense scrutiny and criticism from lawmakers, veterans, and military families, with some calling for Hegseth’s resignation.
Introduction to the Incident
The Pentagon’s watchdog has found that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth put U.S. personnel and their mission at risk when he used the Signal messaging app to convey sensitive information about a military strike against Yemen’s Houthi militants. According to two people familiar with the findings, Hegseth’s use of the app to share details about the strike, including the exact timings of warplane launches and when bombs would drop, was a violation of Pentagon policy. The report did not find that Hegseth improperly declassified material, but it did recommend better training for all Pentagon officials on the use of personal devices for official business.
The Investigation
The investigation into Hegseth’s use of the Signal app was launched after a journalist, Jeffrey Goldberg of The Atlantic, was inadvertently added to a Signal text chain by then-national security adviser Mike Waltz. The chain included Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, and others, and was used to discuss March 15 military operations against the Iran-backed Houthis. Hegseth had created another Signal chat with 13 people, including his wife and brother, where he shared similar details of the same strike. The review was delivered to lawmakers, who were able to review the report in a classified facility at the Capitol. A partially redacted version of the report was expected to be released publicly later this week.
Hegseth’s Response
Hegseth declined to sit for an interview with the Pentagon’s inspector general but provided a written statement. In the statement, Hegseth asserted that he was permitted to declassify information as he saw fit and only communicated details he thought would not endanger the mission. Hegseth has also defended his use of the Signal app, saying that the information he shared was unclassified and that he was simply providing "informal, unclassified coordinations, for media coordinations and other things." However, multiple current and former military officials have told the AP that there was no way details with that specificity, especially before a strike took place, would have been OK to share on an unsecured device.
The Broader Context
The incident is part of a larger campaign against Yemen’s Houthi rebels, who had started launching missile and drone attacks against commercial and military ships in late 2023. The U.S.-led campaign against the Houthis in 2024 turned into the most intense running sea battle the Navy had faced since World War II. A ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war had begun in January before falling apart in March, and the U.S. then launched a broad assault against the Houthis that ended weeks later when Trump said they pledged to stop attacking ships. The latest Gaza ceasefire began in October. The disclosure of Hegseth’s Signal chat has sparked intense scrutiny and criticism from lawmakers, veterans, and military families, with some calling for his resignation.
The Implications
The incident has significant implications for national security and the use of personal devices for official business. The Pentagon’s inspector general has recommended better training for all Pentagon officials on the use of personal devices, and lawmakers have called for an investigation into Hegseth’s use of the Signal app. The incident has also raised concerns about the potential risks to national security and the need for stricter protocols to protect sensitive information. As one lawmaker noted, "lower-ranking members of the military would have been fired for such a lapse," and it is unclear why Hegseth has not faced similar consequences.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the Pentagon’s watchdog has found that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth put U.S. personnel and their mission at risk when he used the Signal messaging app to convey sensitive information about a military strike against Yemen’s Houthi militants. The incident has sparked intense scrutiny and criticism from lawmakers, veterans, and military families, and has raised concerns about the potential risks to national security. The Pentagon’s inspector general has recommended better training for all Pentagon officials on the use of personal devices, and lawmakers have called for an investigation into Hegseth’s use of the Signal app. As the situation continues to unfold, it is clear that the incident has significant implications for national security and the use of personal devices for official business.
