CNN: Signal email report confirms Hegseth may have endangered U.S. military

The head of the Pentagon Pete Hegseth risked endangering US troops when he shared his military plans on Signal. This was reported by the channel CNN with reference to four unnamed interlocutors who have read the inspector general's report.

The unclassified version of the report will be released on Thursday. The classified report was sent to Congress on Tuesday evening.

Two interlocutors told CNN that the implications of Hegseth's actions are not entirely clear, as the inspector general concluded that the secretary of defense has the authority to declassify the information. The Pentagon chief himself claimed that he made an operational decision to share the data, although there is no documentary evidence of this.

They said that Hegseth risked disclosing sensitive military information that could have jeopardized U.S. troops and mission objectives when he used the Signal to transmit highly sensitive plans for attacks on the Houthis in Yemen in March of this year.

The messages sent from Hegseth's Signal account to the group chat, the content of which CNN sources have previously confirmed included material from documents marked classified at the time of sending, contained specific information about planned military strikes in real time. They were so detailed that one of them even said: "The first bombs will definitely fall right now."

It remains unclear whether the Pentagon chief properly declassified this information before sharing it with other senior officials and reporter Jeffrey Goldberg of the Atlantic, who was accidentally added to the chat.

Hegseth refused to go for an interview with the inspector general and submitted his version of events in writing, CNN sources said.

The report notes that the Pentagon chief should not have used Signal and that senior department officials need better training in protocols, they added.

The publication of the investigation's findings could heighten concerns among lawmakers of both parties about Hegseth's decision and draw new attention to the issue that nearly led to his dismissal several months ago, journalists said.

In addition to concluding that Hegseth's actions may have jeopardized the safety of U.S. military personnel, the report also details how he passed confidential information to unauthorized individuals and failed to secure those communications as required by federal law, the sources said.

The inspector general's report found that the Secretary of Defense shared similar details about US military operations in Yemen via Signal with several other individuals not authorized to see the information, they added.

The report also indicates that the military plans disclosed by the Pentagon chief were taken from a document of the US Central Command, which was marked as secret at the time. This stamp on the document means that foreign citizens should not see it.

"The Inspector General's review fully vindicates Secretary Hegseth and confirms what we knew all along: no classified information was shared. This matter has been resolved, and the case is closed," a Pentagon spokesperson said in a response sent after the story was published.

A source with knowledge of Hegseth's position said that he is allowed to declassify information on his own, which negates any allegations of possible violations, and that the use of Signal did not contradict the data retention requirements for high-ranking officials under the Federal Archives Act.

• On April 21, 2025, it was reported that Hegseth shared the details of the March US attack on the Yemeni Houthis in a group chat on Signal that included his wife, brother, and personal lawyer.
• Hegseth responds criticized the media and the people who provided this information to journalists.
• The White House also denied that they were looking for a replacement for Hegseth to the post of Pentagon chief. Before that, senator demands resignation of Pentagon chief amid leaks and said it threatens US national security.