Hegseth broke rules in sharing Yemen strike details on Signal, report finds

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's Secret Signal Group Chat Raises National Security Concerns

A damning report by the Department of Defense's inspector general has found that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth broke departmental policies by sharing sensitive information about military airstrikes in Yemen with a group chat on messaging app Signal. The report, which was released unclassified earlier this week, revealed that Hegseth shared classified operational details with a group of individuals, including foreign nationals, in the days leading up to the strikes.

According to the report, Hegseth received an email from the head of US Central Command just hours before the planned strikes, containing sensitive information that was not intended for public disclosure. However, Hegseth chose to share this information with a group chat on Signal, which is owned by Facebook and can be accessed by anyone in the world.

The report concluded that if foreign enemies had intercepted these messages, it could have compromised the safety of US troops and endangered national security objectives. The incident has sparked outrage among lawmakers, including Democratic Congressman Mark Warner, who called for Hegseth's resignation, saying that leaders should not put service members at unnecessary risk.

However, Hegseth has pushed back against criticism, stating on Twitter that no classified information was shared and that the issue is "case closed." He claimed to have taken steps to declassify sensitive information before sharing it with the Signal group chat. The incident has raised questions about the handling of classified information by high-ranking officials in the US Department of Defense.

The report's findings are a significant blow to Hegseth, who was already facing scrutiny over his handling of the situation. His actions have sparked concerns about the security of sensitive information and the lack of transparency within the Pentagon.

This is getting weird ... I mean, come on! Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth sharing classified info with a group chat on Signal? That's like inviting the enemy to the party and expecting them to keep a secret . And he says it was all declassified anyway? What exactly is classified these days? I'm not buying that "case closed" excuse, either . It just shows a lack of common sense and responsibility from someone who's supposed to be in charge . The Pentagon needs more transparency, not less . And what's with the lax handling of sensitive info? That's a recipe for disaster ...

I'm not surprised that Hegseth got caught out, but this is still a pretty big deal. Like, come on Pete, you're the Defense Secretary, can't you keep your mouth shut? I get it, mistakes happen, but sharing sensitive info with a group chat? That's just basic security protocol 101.

And what's up with Facebook owning Signal? That's like putting classified info in someone's hands and hoping for the best. It's not just about Hegseth's personal actions, it's about the culture of secrecy that exists within the Pentagon. If we're gonna talk about national security concerns, we need to make sure our leaders are setting a good example.

I'm not saying Hegseth deserves to be fired or anything, but he does need to step up his game and show us what he's working on to improve this kind of thing in the future. Transparency is key here, folks!

I'm not sure how one person is supposed to keep track of all these classified info channels . It's like, super convenient that you've got a group chat on Signal where you can share sensitive stuff with whoever wants in . But seriously, it doesn't exactly fill me with confidence when you're sharing operational details about airstrikes with foreign nationals . I mean, what if they get intercepted? That could be bad news for US troops . And now there's all this drama going on about Hegseth's actions and whether he should resign...it's like, dude, maybe just take responsibility for your mistakes and own up to them?

OMG , can you believe this?! Defense Sec Pete Hegseth sharing super sensitive info with a group chat on Signal? Like, what's next? This is crazy! He broke departmental policies and put US troops at risk . I don't think it's "case closed" at all, I think he needs to be held accountable . How could he be so reckless with classified info? And what's up with the Signal group chat being accessible to anyone in the world? That's just asking for trouble!

this is getting crazy like who does that? sharing classified info on some random group chat can't believe they didn't think it through, not to mention having foreign nationals in the loop what if one of them was a spy? and now he's pushing back saying its all good? no way dude, you broke protocol and put lives at risk need more info on this, like what were the specifics of these strikes and how did they end up in that group chat

OMG, can you believe this dude is serious? Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth thinks he's above the law just 'cause he has a high title and some "top secret" info Newsflash: having classified info doesn't mean you're immune to consequences! He shares sensitive details with anyone in the world, including foreign nationals... yeah, that's super secure . I'm not surprised lawmakers are calling for his resignation; someone's gotta hold him accountable for putting lives at risk .

Omg this is so bad but thinkin on the bright side, maybe now the Pentagon's gonna get its act together & super strict with classify info sharin they need to make sure all high-level folks are followin the rules to avoid any more major mishaps. And can you imagine if those foreign nationals who got the signal had been Russian spies? We'd be in a whole different world plus this incident's gonna make people realize how vulnerable our military info is, so maybe now we'll invest in better security measures

I'm shocked that our defense sec is sharing classified info like it's no big deal ! I mean, back in my day, we didn't even talk about classified stuff on social media ... what's wrong with these new gen folks? Just think of all the potential security risks and you'd wonder how this guy was allowed to do it in the first place . And now he's saying it's "case closed" like that's a thing? Give me a break... what kinda accountability is that? We need some serious checks and balances around here, stat!

like how some people think sharing top-secret info with a group chat is a great idea... i mean, who doesn't want to risk their life just for the sake of convenience? signal group chats are literally the best way to keep your communications secure... right? seriously though, can you imagine if hackers got a hold of that info? it's not like us troops would be able to handle a little extra stress.

Ugh, can't believe this ... like, I'm all for transparency and accountability, but come on! A group chat on Signal? That's just a recipe for disaster . I mean, what's next? Sharing top-secret intel with your BFFs? I don't care if Hegseth thought he was being casual or whatever, the fact is, classified info got out and it could've compromised lives. And now the Pentagon's all messed up because of his own recklessness . Mark Warner's right to call for resignation - someone needs to take responsibility here . Can't we just have a secure communication system without having to worry about rogue employees sharing sensitive info?

Signal is like the Wild West for sensitive info this guy's got some serious nerve sharing that with anyone on the internet . I mean what if a foreign agent was in that group chat? It's not like it's hard to keep secrets in the age of encryption and secure comms. Hegseth needs to be held accountable for his actions, but at the same time, we need to figure out how this kind of thing happens in the first place

omg this is so serious!!! i mean, come on defense secretary sharing classified info with a group chat on signal? that's like putting our entire national security at risk it's not just about Hegseth's job, it's about the safety of our troops and the country as a whole

and what really gets me is that he's trying to downplay this by saying no classified info was shared like, how do we know that? shouldn't there be more transparency in the Pentagon?

I'm all for accountability, but this goes beyond just Hegseth's mistakes. it raises questions about the entire system and whether our top officials are handling sensitive information responsibly

Ugh, this is so worrying! I mean, come on, Pete Hegseth thinks it's okay to share classified info with a group chat on Signal? That's like leaving your house door wide open for anyone to walk in! What if some rogue foreign agent intercepts those messages and puts our troops in danger? It's not just about the security, it's also about the fact that he shared sensitive info without checking with the right people first. Like, what was he thinking?! And now he's trying to downplay it by saying "case closed"? No way! This is a big deal and he needs to take responsibility for his actions. The Pentagon needs to get its act together and make sure this kind of thing doesn't happen again.

omg, this is getting shady ... like, how did this even happen? Defense Sec's got access to top-secret info and he just shares it with a group chat on Signal anyone can join?! What if it was intercepted by enemy agents? We're talking about national security here, not some casual convo . And what's up with the declassification thingy? Sounds like a PR spin job to me . This is exactly why we need more transparency in the Pentagon and less "case closed" nonsense

this is so not cool that Hegseth would share sensitive info with anyone in a group chat it's one thing to keep colleagues informed, but another to leave classified info out in the open where foreign nationals could see it and who was he trying to impress? did he really think Facebook's parent company wouldn't notice something fishy going on? i'm not saying he meant to compromise national security or anything, but come on, use proper channels for sensitive info