🔗 Share this article Defense Department Report Finds Defense Secretary Put Troops in Danger with Messaging App Chat. A long-awaited Department of Defense review has determined that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth breached official protocols by sharing classified intelligence in a Signal messaging chat, as stated by a person briefed on the findings. Details of the Incident The online conversation in question contained details about a scheduled airstrike in Yemen targeting Houthi fighters. This chat came to light after a journalist for the Atlantic was added as a participant. Other officials in the chat reportedly included JD Vance, CIA director John Ratcliffe, and former security advisor Mike Waltz. The report did not examine the actions of Hegseth, as the other officials are not employed at the Department of Defense. Signal is a publicly available communication application that was not approved for transmitting sensitive material. Potential Risk to Troops The internal investigation determined that the intelligence circulated by Hegseth was classified and could have endangered the safety of US troops if it had been intercepted by a hostile nation. However, the report acknowledged that Hegseth had the ability to downgrade the information he distributed, though it was unclear whether he actually did so. Secretary's Reaction The informed individual said that Hegseth declined an interview by the inspector general. Instead, he provided a short written response. In his statement, Hegseth asserted he only disclosed details that would not have endangered personnel or compromised the mission. He added that he had the right to declassify material and viewed the inspector general to be partisan. Future Actions The completed report has been provided to lawmakers. An unclassified version is anticipated to be released in the coming days.