In a recent development, the Department of Defense Inspector General (DoDIG) has released a report highlighting a breach of protocol by War Secretary Pete Hegseth.
The report, unveiled on Thursday, reveals that Hegseth failed to adhere to Pentagon regulations by disclosing operational details concerning strikes against Houthi targets in March via the Signal app on his personal phone. This action was deemed a violation of policy, as it involved the use of unauthorized apps and insecure devices, posing a risk of "potential compromise."
According to the Daily Caller, investigators found that Hegseth had improperly handled sensitive, nonpublic operational information. Despite this, the report acknowledges that Hegseth had determined the information did not necessitate classification, a decision within his purview. "We concluded that the Secretary sent sensitive, nonpublic, operational information that he determined did not require classification over the Signal chat on his personal cell phone," the report states.
As the head original classification authority in the Department of Defense, Hegseth possesses the authority to decide the classification level of all DoD information he communicates, as per Executive Order 13526 and DoD Manual 5200.45.
However, the report further elaborates that Hegseth's use of the Signal app on his personal device contravened DoD Instruction 8170.01. This instruction explicitly prohibits the use of personal devices for official business and non-approved commercially available messaging applications for transmitting nonpublic DoD information.
An illustrative photograph taken on April 17 shows the Signal messaging app displayed on a phone screen, underscoring the app's role in this incident.
In a related incident, former National Security Advisor and current United Nations Ambassador Mike Waltz inadvertently included The Atlantic Editor-in-Chief Jeffrey Goldberg in a Signal group chat in March.
This chat was intended for discussions about strikes against Houthi rebels in Yemen. Hegseth shared certain planning aspects regarding the strikes with the group, with the times he listed corresponding to the subsequent attacks. Despite Goldberg's presence in the chat, the Pentagon has denied that any classified information was shared, describing the report as a "total exoneration" of Hegseth's conduct.
Hegseth's authority to classify information within the Pentagon is extensive, granting him original classification authority at the Department. He determined that the information shared in the group chat consisted of "non-specific general details" and was safe for transmission. Notably, Hegseth did not surrender his cellphone to investigators, as noted in the report.
The DoDIG's accompanying report on the policy of using messaging services like Signal for official business warns that "DoD personnels use of non-DoD-controlled electronic messaging systems may have jeopardized DoD operations or missions." Despite the potential risks, the Houthi strikes proceeded without incident, as Goldberg chose to publish his findings only after the strikes had occurred. The Houthi rebels have been significantly disruptive to the vital Red Sea international shipping route.
As of now, the Pentagon has not provided a response to the Daily Caller News Foundation's request for comment. This situation raises questions about the balance between operational security and the use of modern communication tools, a challenge that the Pentagon and other government agencies must navigate carefully.
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