IG Report: Hegseth's Signal Use Risked 'Harm' to Military Mission
WASHINGTON — The Department of Defense Inspector General has concluded that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth created significant operational security risks by transmitting sensitive military information through unsecured personal communication channels during strikes against Houthi forces earlier this year.
According to the unclassified IG report released Wednesday, Hegseth “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.” The investigation found that using a personal cell phone to conduct official business and share sensitive DoD information via Signal “risks potential compromise of sensitive DoD information, which could cause harm to DoD personnel and mission objectives.”
The report explicitly stated: “The Secretary’s actions created a risk to operational security that could have resulted in failed U.S. mission objectives and potential harm to U.S. pilots.”
The investigation traces back to March, when The Atlantic published a report revealing that senior members of President Donald Trump’s national security team had discussed Houthi strike plans on Signal, including operational timing and methodology. Editor-in-Chief Jeffrey Goldberg was mistakenly added to a group chat containing these discussions. Hegseth’s messages reportedly contained specific operational details that critics argued endangered military personnel.
A significant procedural issue emerged during the investigation: Hegseth refused to participate in interviews with the IG, submitting only written statements instead. Consequently, investigators relied partially on information previously published by The Atlantic.
The IG report also found that “the Secretary and OSD did not retain records of the Secretary’s conversations on Signal discussing official government business, as required by” the DoD Records Management Program—a violation of record-keeping protocols.
However, the report declined to make specific recommendations regarding Hegseth’s Signal usage, characterizing it as “only one instance of an identified, DoD-wide issue.” The sole formal recommendation urged U.S. Central Command to review and strengthen its classification procedures.
The report’s findings have generated sharply divergent interpretations. Pentagon Spokesperson Sean Parnell characterized it as “a TOTAL exoneration of Secretary Hegseth,” emphasizing that no classified information was shared and declaring the matter resolved.
Democrats presented a contrary assessment. Rep. Adam Smith of Washington, the top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, issued a blistering statement: “This report is a damning review of an incompetent secretary of defense who is profoundly incapable of the job and clearly has no respect for or comprehension of what is required to safeguard our service members. The IG report confirms the concerns that we have raised since the news first broke of his inappropriate use of the Signal app.”
The investigation underscores broader tensions regarding operational security protocols, information classification procedures, and accountability within the defense establishment. While the IG acknowledged Hegseth’s constitutional authority as secretary to declassify information, the report’s detailed findings regarding operational risks and record-keeping violations suggest significant procedural concerns remain unresolved.
Source ID: SRCE-2025-1764867886225-1154