🔗 Share this article Pentagon Report Concludes Defense Secretary Put Troops in Jeopardy with Messaging App Chat. A long-awaited Pentagon review has concluded that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth breached official protocols by disclosing secret intelligence in a Signal messaging chat, according to a source familiar with the report. Particulars of the Incident The chat group in question included particulars about a scheduled airstrike in Yemen targeting Houthi militants. This chat came to light after a reporter for the Atlantic was added as a participant. Other officials in the group reportedly included Senator JD Vance, CIA director John Ratcliffe, and former security advisor Mike Waltz. The report focused solely on the actions of Hegseth, as the other participants do not work at the Department of Defense. Signal is a commercially offered communication application that was not approved for handling sensitive material. Potential Threat to Forces The inspector general's report determined that the information circulated by Hegseth was secret and posed a risk to the safety of US troops if it had been intercepted by a hostile nation. However, the document acknowledged that Hegseth possessed the authority to declassify the information he distributed, though it was not specified whether he formally did so. Hegseth's Response The source indicated that Hegseth declined an interview by the investigators. Instead, he provided a brief written statement. In his response, Hegseth asserted he only shared details that would not have risked lives or compromised the operation. He further stated that he possessed the authority to declassify material and considered the investigation to be partisan. Future Actions The completed report has been shared with lawmakers. An unclassified version is anticipated to be released later this week.