🔗 Share this article Pentagon Investigation Finds Defense Secretary Put Military Personnel in Danger with Messaging App Chat. A highly anticipated Pentagon report has concluded that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth breached official protocols by sharing secret intelligence in a private Signal group, according to a source familiar with the report. Details of the Event The chat group in question included particulars about a planned air attack in Yemen against Houthi fighters. This discussion was revealed after a journalist for the Atlantic was included as a participant. Other officials in the chat allegedly included Senator JD Vance, CIA director John Ratcliffe, and former security advisor Mike Waltz. The investigation focused solely on the conduct of Hegseth, as the other officials are not employed at the Pentagon. Signal is a commercially offered communication application that was not approved for transmitting sensitive material. Potential Threat to Troops The internal investigation determined that the information shared by Hegseth was classified and could have endangered the safety of US troops if it had been obtained by a foreign enemy force. However, the document acknowledged that Hegseth had the ability to declassify the material he distributed, though it was not specified whether he actually exercised that authority. Secretary's Response The informed individual indicated that Hegseth declined an interview by the investigators. Instead, he submitted a brief written statement. In his response, Hegseth asserted he only disclosed information that would not have risked lives or compromised the mission. He further stated that he possessed the authority to declassify material and considered the investigation to be partisan. Future Actions The finalized investigation has been provided to Congress. An unclassified version is expected to be made public in the coming days.