A Pentagon watchdog has determined Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth risked the safety of U.S. servicemembers by sharing sensitive military information on the encrypted messaging app Signal, according to a source who reviewed the forthcoming inspector general report.
The probe was launched after a journalist for The Atlantic revealed in March that he had been added to a Signal chat where Hegseth and other senior officials discussed plans for U.S. airstrikes against Houthi rebels in Yemen. A summary of the inspector general’s findings provided to NPR says that if a foreign adversary had intercepted the intelligence discussed in the chat, it would have endangered both servicemembers and the mission.
The investigation was led by Pentagon Inspector General Steven Stebbins. The report concludes Hegseth sent information about targets, timing and aircraft to two Signal groups, including chats with his wife and brother, and violated Pentagon policies prohibiting the use of personal phones for official business. Hegseth declined an interview with investigators and provided only a written response.
In his written reply, Hegseth said he had the authority, as secretary of defense, to declassify information. The inspector general did not determine whether the messages were declassified at the time they were shared but acknowledged the secretary’s declassification authority. Hegseth also told investigators he believed the probe was political and said he lacked faith in Stebbins.
Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said the review “is a TOTAL exoneration of Secretary Hegseth and proves what we knew all along — no classified information was shared. This matter is resolved, and the case is closed.” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt also defended the administration’s handling of sensitive information, saying the review affirms that no classified information was leaked and operational security was not compromised.
The investigation, launched in April, followed a request from Senate Armed Services Committee leaders Roger Wicker and Jack Reed. Because Hegseth supplied only a few of his Signal messages, the inspector general relied largely on screenshots of the chat published by The Atlantic.
Arizona Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly reacted to the report by saying it was “pretty clear he shouldn’t have been using his cell phone and an unsecure app, unofficial app with regards to DOD, to be sharing that kind of information,” and warned that adversaries could obtain and pass along such information, putting lives at risk.
The report’s release comes as Hegseth faces scrutiny over the administration’s campaign to strike suspected drug-trafficking boats in the Caribbean Sea, including a Sept. 2 strike that raised questions about whether U.S. forces fired on survivors — an action military experts say could amount to a war crime if the administration’s justification is accepted.
Hegseth’s tenure at the Pentagon has been contentious. Critics note his background as an Army National Guard veteran and former Fox News host and argue he lacks the experience of past defense secretaries. Since his confirmation, he has fired several top officials, imposed restrictions on transgender troops and veterans, and rebranded the agency as the Department of War. The White House reiterated continued confidence in Hegseth.
NPR disclosure: Katherine Maher, NPR CEO, chairs the board of the Signal Foundation. Gabriel Sanchez contributed reporting.
