🔗 Share this article Defense Department Investigation Finds Defense Secretary Placed Troops in Danger with Messaging App Chat. A highly anticipated Department of Defense review has concluded that Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth violated official protocols by sharing classified intelligence in a private Signal group, as stated by a source familiar with the report. Details of the Incident The chat group in dispute included particulars about a planned airstrike in Yemen targeting Houthi militants. This discussion was revealed after a journalist for the Atlantic was included as a participant. Other officials in the chat allegedly included JD Vance, CIA director John Ratcliffe, and then-national security adviser Mike Waltz. The report did not examine the conduct of Hegseth, as the other participants are not employed at the Pentagon. Signal is a commercially offered messaging app that was not authorized for handling classified information. Potential Risk to Forces The inspector general's report determined that the intelligence circulated by Hegseth was classified and posed a risk to the lives of US troops if it had been intercepted by a foreign enemy force. Notably, the report also noted that Hegseth had the ability to declassify the material he distributed, though it was unclear whether he actually exercised that authority. Hegseth's Reaction The source indicated that Hegseth declined an interview by the investigators. Instead, he provided a short written response. In his statement, Hegseth claimed he only disclosed information that would not have risked lives or jeopardized the operation. He further stated that he possessed the authority to downgrade information and viewed the inspector general to be partisan. Next Steps The finalized investigation has been provided to lawmakers. An unclassified version is expected to be made public later this week.