Pentagon to investigate Pete Hegseth’s use of Signal app to plan Houthi strike
Pentagon opens probe into Hegseth's Signal app use
The Pentagon has launched an investigation into whether Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth violated department policy by discussing military attack plans in a private chat on the Signal app after The Atlantic reported its editor-in-chief was accidentally included in a text thread on plans to attack the Houthi rebels in Yemen. The Associated Press obtained a letter from Pentagon’s Inspector General Steven Stebbins to Hegseth stating in part, "The objective of this evaluation is to determine the extent to which the Secretary of Defense and other DoD personnel complied with DoD policies and procedures for the use of a commercial messaging application for official business. Additionally, we will review compliance with classification and records retention requirements."
WASHINGTON - The Pentagon’s acting inspector general has launched a formal review into Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s use of the encrypted Signal app to discuss plans for a military strike against Houthi militants in Yemen—an unusual move that raises questions about security, classification rules, and federal records compliance.
The review comes after national security adviser Mike Waltz mistakenly added journalist Jeffrey Goldberg of The Atlantic to a Signal group chat that included top officials discussing the March 15 operation, including Hegseth, Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard.
Why the Pentagon is investigating
What we know:
In a notification letter to Hegseth, Acting Inspector General Steven Stebbins said the review will assess "the extent to which the Secretary of Defense and other DoD personnel complied with DoD policies and procedures for the use of a commercial messaging application for official business." The review will also examine whether officials complied with classification and federal records retention requirements.
Signal, while encrypted, is not part of the Department of Defense’s secure communications network and cannot be used for classified information.
Hegseth is said to have shared exact timings for the military strike—details that, according to former officials, would typically be considered classified.
What we don't know:
It remains unclear whether any of the Signal messages were preserved in accordance with federal records laws. The Trump administration has claimed no classified material was shared, but multiple defense experts and lawmakers have raised red flags.
FILE - US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth attends a joint news conference with Japan's Defence Minister Gen Nakatani (not pictured) at the Ministry of Defence in Tokyo on March 30, 2025. (Photo by KIYOSHI OTA/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
The inspector general has not said when the review will conclude or what specific disciplinary action could be taken if wrongdoing is found.
Reaction from Congress and inside the administration
What they're saying:
The investigation was requested by Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., and Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., the top members of the Senate Armed Services Committee.
During a recent confirmation hearing, Lt. Gen. Dan Caine, Trump’s nominee for chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, declined to comment on whether the app should have been used but said, "We should always preserve the element of surprise."
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump has defended Waltz, even as calls for his removal have grown. On Thursday, Trump reportedly fired several members of Waltz’s staff after far-right activist Laura Loomer urged a loyalty purge, according to multiple sources familiar with the situation.
Big picture view:
The Signal controversy adds to a growing list of legal and ethical challenges facing the Trump administration during its second term. Experts say the use of non-secure apps to coordinate military operations could violate both security protocols and public records laws—especially if messages were not properly archived.
This is not the first time Trump-era officials have faced scrutiny over communications practices. Similar questions were raised during his first term over the use of private phones and encrypted apps by senior White House staff.
The Source: This report is based on original reporting from the Associated Press, including coverage by Tara Copp and statements from the Pentagon, the Senate Armed Services Committee, and related officials. Additional context was provided through AP’s reporting on internal communications and national security policy during the Trump administration’s second term. This story was reported from Los Angeles.