Pentagon report says Pete Hegseth's Signal chat put troops in danger with policy breach

WASHINGTON, DC: A newly released US Department of Defense report states that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth violated department rules by sharing confidential military strike information in an unsecured group chat on the encrypted messaging app Signal.

The communications revealed details of a planned March 2025 airstrike targeting Houthi rebels in Yemen, including flight times and the weapons to be used, raising concerns that the leak may have endangered troop safety and compromised the mission’s security.

The Signal chat included JD Vance, John Ratcliffe and more heavyweights

The Signal chat came to light after an Atlantic reporter was mistakenly added to the group. Besides JD Vance, the conversation included CIA Director John Ratcliffe and then–National Security Adviser Mike Waltz. The report did not examine their conduct because they are not Department of Defense employees.

The Defense Department concluded that the information Pete Hegseth shared was classified as secret and could have put troops at danger if intercepted by a foreign adversary.

Pete Hegseth rejects interview, denies wrongdoing in classified leak probe

Hegseth declined an interview with the inspector general and instead submitted a short written statement in which he claimed that he shared only information that would not endanger lives or compromise the mission. He also asserted that he had the authority to declassify material and dismissed the inspector general as partisan.

The document was provided to Congress, and a non-classified version is expected to be released later this week. In response, Democratic Congressman Mark Warner, vice-chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said Hegseth should resign and formally made that call on Wednesday.

Mark Warner urges Pete Hegseth’s resignation over classified leak

“An objective, evidence-based investigation by the Pentagon’s internal watchdog leaves no doubt: Secretary Hegseth endangered the lives of American pilots based aboard the USS Harry S Truman as they prepared to launch a mission against terrorist targets. By sharing classified operational details on an unsecure group chat on his personal phone, he created unacceptable risks to their safety and to our operational security,” Warner said. 

“Our servicemembers, including those stationed in Virginia and around the world, expect and deserve leaders who honor the sacrifices they make every day to protect our nation and never put them at unnecessary risk. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Pete Hegseth should resign, or the president must remove him at once.”

But Hegseth pushed back on X on Wednesday evening, rebuffing critics. “No classified information. Total exoneration. Case closed. Houthis bombed into submission. Thank you for your attention to this IG report,” he wrote.