Pentagon: US defense secretary jeopardized American troops
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth compromised the safety of American troops by using his personal phone to share sensitive details
WASHINGTON, United States (MNTV) – U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth compromised the safety of American troops by using his personal phone to share sensitive details about a planned military strike in Yemen, according to a Pentagon inspector general report released Thursday.
The watchdog also criticized the broader Defense Department for its use of unauthorized messaging apps and devices.
While the report acknowledged that Hegseth had the authority to declassify the material he shared on Signal, it found that disclosing information about aircraft quantity and strike times — sent two to four hours before the operation — violated internal rules designed to protect service members and operational integrity.
The report states the leak “created a risk to operational security that could have resulted in failed U.S. mission objectives and potential harm to U.S. pilots,” adding that adversaries could have used the information to evade or counter U.S. strikes.
The revelation surfaced after journalist Jeffrey Goldberg of The Atlantic was accidentally added to a Signal group chat by then-national security adviser Mike Waltz.
Though Hegseth insists the report exonerates him — writing on social media, “No classified information. Total exoneration. Case closed. Houthis bombed into submission” — the watchdog’s conclusions prompted renewed scrutiny on Capitol Hill. Lawmakers noted that lower-ranking personnel would have faced disciplinary action for similar breaches.
Hegseth also faces congressional pressure over a separate incident involving a follow-up strike on an alleged drug-smuggling vessel in the Caribbean, where survivors were reportedly killed after he allegedly issued a verbal order to “kill everybody.”
Hegseth declined an interview with investigators, instead submitting a written statement claiming he shared only “an unclassified summary” and that full operational details were available on military secure networks.
Democratic lawmakers, and some Republicans, argue the disclosures endangered troops, saying his decisions ahead of the Yemen strike may have risked pilots’ lives.
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