Pentagon Inspector General Investigates Signal App Use

The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) Inspector General has launched an investigation into Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s use of the encrypted messaging app Signal to discuss sensitive military operations in Yemen. The probe will also examine whether other Pentagon officials improperly used the app—which is not authorized for classified communications—to share operational details.

Review Focuses on Compliance with Security Protocols

Acting Inspector General Steven Stebbins notified Hegseth that the investigation will assess whether he and other DoD personnel adhered to departmental policies regarding the use of commercial messaging apps for official business. The review will also evaluate compliance with classification and records retention requirements.

The scrutiny follows an incident in which Jeffrey Goldberg, editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, was inadvertently added to a Signal group chat involving Hegseth, National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard. The group discussed a 15 March military strike against Houthi militants in Yemen, with Hegseth reportedly sharing precise timings of warplane launches and bomb strikes before personnel were airborne.

Lawmakers Raise Concerns Over Security Risks

The investigation was initiated at the request of Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) and ranking Democrat Jack Reed (R.I.), who expressed alarm over the potential disclosure of classified information on an unsecured platform. In a letter, the senators noted that the chat allegedly contained “classified information pertaining to sensitive military actions in Yemen,” raising concerns about the use of non-secure networks for such discussions.

During congressional hearings, Democratic lawmakers have pressed military officials on whether using commercial apps like Signal for operational planning is appropriate. Current and former defense officials have said the level of detail Hegseth shared would typically be classified, at minimum, as “Secret.”

The Trump administration has denied any classified material was disclosed, dismissing the incident as a “glitch.” Hegseth and the White House have characterized the messages as routine “team updates” without sensitive intelligence. However, his inclusion of the phrase “clean on OPSEC” (operational security) suggests an awareness of the information’s sensitivity.

A Pentagon spokesperson declined to comment on the ongoing investigation.