The U.S. Defense Secretary, Pete Hegseth, is under investigation following the revelation that he used the messaging app Signal to discuss sensitive details about airstrikes on Yemen. The Inspector General’s office is reviewing whether Hegseth’s use of Signal violated Department of Defense guidelines, particularly in relation to classified information.
Hegseth has denied sharing classified details, though the conversation reportedly included specifics about the airstrike timeline and target locations, which are typically kept secret before operations. The details were accidentally exposed when The Atlantic editor-in-chief, Jeffrey Goldberg, was included in the chat, leading to an embarrassing situation involving top U.S. security officials.
The investigation aims to determine if Hegseth and others adhered to the DoD’s policies on using commercial messaging applications for official purposes, including compliance with classification and record retention protocols.
Hegseth’s messages about an operation targeting a Houthi militant leader included precise timing for military assets like F-18 jets and sea-based missiles. He claimed the mission was “clean on OPSEC” (operational security), but the leak of this information could have jeopardized the operation by giving adversaries a chance to relocate targets, potentially endangering U.S. pilots.
The U.S. military has since reduced the amount of operational details shared publicly, citing security concerns. Senate Defense Committee member Jack Reed criticized the potential risks caused by the leak, while the investigation into Hegseth’s actions continues.
