The Pentagon’s top watchdog has begun an investigation into Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s use of Signal, a commercial messaging app, to plan military strikes on Yemen.
Acting Inspector General Steven Stebbins announced the inquiry Thursday in a letter sent to Hegseth’s office, asking for two points of contact within five days to help detail what information was shared and the decisions leading up to the communications.
The investigation — requested by Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Roger Wicker, R-Miss., and ranking member Jack Reed, D-R.I., — would be the first internal Pentagon review of Hegseth’s role in the group chat, made public last week.
In mid-March, top officials across the Trump administration used the app to plan attacks on Yemen’s Houthi rebels, an Iran-backed terrorist group that has targeted commercial ships transiting the Red Sea, an important route for global trade. The group mistakenly included a reporter from The Atlantic, who later published its contents after the administration argued they weren’t classified.
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In those messages, Hegseth shared detailed information on imminent U.S. strikes, including what weapons would be used and when they would occur. Outside experts and former defense officials have argued the texts put American troops at higher risk and were almost certainly classified, something Hegseth has denied.
Signal is encrypted but not permitted for sharing classified information according to Pentagon standards.
Stebbins said the inquiry will probe whether Hegseth and others followed internal Pentagon standards for using such an app and properly handled classified material. The investigation will also cover “records retention requirements” for government communications.
President Donald Trump thus far has dismissed calls to punish Hegseth or national security adviser Michael Waltz, who started the chat group. Hegseth has called the controversy a media distraction from the successful airstrikes in Yemen.
Stebbins is serving as acting inspector general because Trump dismissed Robert Storch from the Senate-confirmed role as part of his firings of 17 inspectors general in January, less than a week after the presidential inauguration.
Noah Robertson is the Pentagon reporter at Defense News. He previously covered national security for the Christian Science Monitor. He holds a bachelor’s degree in English and government from the College of William & Mary in his hometown of Williamsburg, Virginia.
Leo covers Congress, Veterans Affairs and the White House for Military Times. He has covered Washington, D.C. since 2004, focusing on military personnel and veterans policies. His work has earned numerous honors, including a 2009 Polk award, a 2010 National Headliner Award, the IAVA Leadership in Journalism award and the VFW News Media award.
