🔗 Share this article Defense Department Investigation Concludes Defense Secretary Put Troops in Danger with Messaging App Conversation. A highly anticipated Department of Defense review has determined that Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth violated departmental policies by sharing secret information in a Signal messaging chat, as stated by a source familiar with the report. Particulars of the Event The online conversation in dispute included particulars about a planned air attack in Yemen against Houthi militants. This discussion came to light after a journalist for the Atlantic was included as a participant. Other officials in the group reportedly included JD Vance, CIA director John Ratcliffe, and then-national security adviser Mike Waltz. The report focused solely on the actions of Hegseth, as the other officials do not work at the Department of Defense. Signal is a publicly available messaging app that was not authorized for handling classified information. Serious Risk to Forces The internal investigation found that the intelligence circulated by Hegseth was secret and posed a risk to the lives of US troops if it had been obtained by a foreign enemy force. Notably, the document acknowledged that Hegseth possessed the authority to downgrade the information he distributed, though it was not specified whether he actually exercised that authority. Secretary's Reaction The source indicated that Hegseth declined an interview by the inspector general. Instead, he submitted a brief written statement. In his response, Hegseth asserted he only disclosed details that would not have risked lives or jeopardized the operation. He further stated that he had the right to declassify material and viewed the inspector general to be politically motivated. Future Actions The finalized investigation has been shared with Congress. An publicly releasable copy is expected to be released in the coming days.