A comprehensive investigation conducted by the Pentagon’s Inspector General has revealed that Secretary of War Pete Hegseth potentially endangered American military personnel by utilizing the encrypted messaging application Signal to deliberate strike operations against Yemen earlier this year. The findings, disclosed in an official report published Thursday, determined that Hegseth’s actions “created a risk to operational security that could have resulted in failed US mission objectives and potential harm to US pilots.”
The scrutiny focused on Hegseth’s utilization of a personal mobile device for governmental communications, transmitting non-public Defense Department intelligence through unofficial channels. This practice, according to the report, “risks potential compromise of sensitive DoD information, which could cause harm to DoD personnel and mission objectives.” The inquiry identified that certain information disseminated by the secretary via Signal on March 15, 2025, corresponded with operational details classified as SECRET/NOFORN (not releasable to foreign nationals) by the US Central Command (USCENTCOM).
Notably, the investigation did not establish that Hegseth unlawfully disclosed classified information, a distinction the secretary highlighted in a social media post declaring “total exoneration.” This characterization was immediately contested by the Democratic National Committee, whose rapid response director Kendall Witmer described Hegseth’s conduct as “a major national security threat that puts our troops in harm’s way.”
The controversy, dubbed “Signalgate,” originated when Atlantic Magazine editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg revealed he had received advanced notification of the Yemen strikes through a Signal group chat including Hegseth and Vice President JD Vance. Goldberg subsequently published message transcripts containing operational specifics including weapon systems, targets, and attack chronology. The group, titled “Houthi PC small group,” allegedly included senior national security officials, though its inappropriate inclusion of a journalist triggered the exposure.
Following the incident, national security advisor Michael Waltz resigned but was subsequently appointed US ambassador to the United Nations. The March 15 airstrikes resulted in significant civilian casualties according to Yemeni health officials, with over 100 women and children reported among the dead and wounded across multiple regions including Sanaa and Sa’ada Governorate.