🔗 Share this article Defense Department Report Concludes Hegseth Placed Troops in Danger with Messaging App Chat. A highly anticipated Pentagon report has concluded that Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth violated official protocols by sharing classified intelligence in a private Signal group, according to a person briefed on the findings. Details of the Event The online conversation in dispute included particulars about a scheduled airstrike in Yemen against Houthi militants. This discussion came to light after a reporter for the Atlantic was included as a member. Other individuals in the chat allegedly included JD Vance, CIA director John Ratcliffe, and then-national security adviser Mike Waltz. The report focused solely on the conduct of Hegseth, as the other officials are not employed at the Department of Defense. Signal is a commercially offered communication application that was not approved for handling sensitive material. Potential Threat to Troops The internal investigation determined that the intelligence shared by Hegseth was secret and could have endangered the lives of US troops if it had been intercepted by a hostile nation. Notably, the document acknowledged that Hegseth possessed the authority to declassify the material he shared, though it was not specified whether he formally exercised that authority. Hegseth's Response The source said that Hegseth declined an interview by the investigators. Instead, he submitted a short written response. In his statement, Hegseth asserted he only shared details that would not have risked lives or jeopardized the operation. He further stated that he possessed the authority to downgrade information and viewed the investigation to be partisan. Next Steps The finalized investigation has been provided to lawmakers. An unclassified version is expected to be made public later this week.