The Pentagon’s internal inspector general concluded that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth used a private Signal group chat to transmit information tied to classified U.S. operations in Yemen, people familiar with the IG’s findings told reporters. The review found Hegseth used his personal device for official business in violation of Defense Department rules and relayed material traced to a classified email marked “SECRET//NOFORN.” The classified version of the IG report was sent to Congress, and an unredacted copy was expected to be released publicly.
According to the sources, the IG determined that, if the Signal messages had been intercepted by a foreign adversary, the disclosures could have posed a clear danger to U.S. service members and to the mission. The report did not conclude whether Hegseth had declassified the material before posting it to the chat, which included several senior Trump administration officials and inadvertently included Jeffrey Goldberg, the editor in chief of The Atlantic; Goldberg later published a story about the chat.
Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell disputed the characterization of wrongdoing, calling the review “a TOTAL exoneration” and saying no classified information was shared and the matter was closed. Hegseth echoed that message on X, calling the review a “total exoneration.” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the IG review “affirms what the Administration has said from the beginning — no classified information was leaked, and operational security was not compromised,” and that the president’s national security team continues to protect sensitive information.
The IG report, sources said, corroborated prior reporting indicating key details Hegseth posted were drawn from a classified email provided by Army Gen. Michael “Erik” Kurilla, then commander of U.S. Central Command. The “SECRET” marking signals that unauthorized disclosure could cause serious harm to national security, and the “NOFORN” label restricts distribution to U.S. persons and agencies only.
The Signal revelations followed closely on U.S. Africa Command operations: a day after The Atlantic published the chat reporting, AFRICOM, working with Somalia’s government, conducted multiple airstrikes near the Golis Mountains against ISIS-Somalia affiliates and later reported several militants were killed. CBS News filed a Freedom of Information Act request seeking related unclassified AFRICOM materials; AFRICOM responded that the requested information remained classified and releasing it would “foreseeably harm national security,” a determination signed by Maj. Gen. Matthew Trollinger, AFRICOM’s chief of staff.
Top Democrats on the House and Senate intelligence panels called for Hegseth’s resignation after the IG conclusions became known. Senate Intelligence Committee Chair Mark Warner said the IG noted “several other Signal chats Hegseth used for official business,” suggesting the incident was not isolated and pointing to a broader pattern of poor judgment. Rep. Jim Himes said Hegseth’s conduct would be a fireable offense for others in the Defense Department and criticized Hegseth’s refusal to sit for an IG interview or to submit his device for examination.
The IG also raised broader concerns about Hegseth’s use of Signal for official matters. Hegseth has publicly downplayed the episode; at a recent Fox Nation event he joked about messaging a member of Congress on Signal, referencing the controversy.