Watchdog Says Hegseth Signal Chat Exposed Details, Risked Troops Safety

Bloomberg Pentagon reporter Tony Capaccio breaks down the inspector general's report into whether Department of Defense chief Pete Hegseth revealed unclassified information in a unsecured signal chat. The newly released report revealed that while Hegseth had the status to declassify the information, he risked endangering troops by revealing the details.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth exposed sensitive information when he sent details of a pending military strike from his personal phone, according to a Pentagon watchdog investigation into the “Signalgate” saga that gripped the White House earlier this year.

The Pentagon inspector general determined that Hegseth had the authority to declassify the information he’d sent — which was originally labeled “secret” — but that his use of a personal cell phone risked compromising sensitive information about the upcoming attack on Houthi rebels in Yemen, it said in a report released Thursday.

“If this information had fallen into the hands of US adversaries, Houthi forces might have been able to counter U.S. forces or reposition personnel and assets to avoid planned US strikes,” the report said. Hegseth sent the information two to four hours before the operation took place, it said.

“Even though these events did not ultimately occur, the Secretary’s actions created a risk to operational security that could have resulted in failed U.S. mission objectives and potential harm to US pilots,” it said.

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