A scathing Pentagon report dropped today, painting a troubling picture of Secretary of War Pete Hegseth’s judgment in handling sensitive military data.
The unclassified document from the Pentagon’s Office of Inspector General, set for public release today, concludes that Hegseth jeopardized U.S. military personnel by sharing critical mission details against Houthi rebels in Yemen via the unclassified app Signal last March, the Washington Examiner reported.
The report details how Hegseth used a personal cell phone to transmit operational specifics, including strike times and weapon systems, on a platform not cleared for classified exchanges. This reckless move, in clear violation of Pentagon protocols, could have exposed our brave service members to grave danger.
Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) didn’t hold back, posting on X, “@PeteHegseth used a personal cell phone and an unclassified app to share sensitive operational information, including strike times and specific weapons systems used.” Her point stings, but let’s face it, if a junior officer pulled this stunt, they’d be court-martialed before lunch, while Hegseth seems to skate by on bravado.
The report acknowledges Hegseth’s authority to declassify material and finds no proof that the information, like exact launch times for U.S. warplanes, was compromised. Yet, the mere possibility of a hackable app exposing such data should send chills down the spine of anyone who values troop safety over bureaucratic swagger.
Signal may encrypt messages in transit, but it’s not the Pentagon’s secure system, built precisely to shield against these risks. Hegseth’s choice to bypass that safeguard smacks of a disregard for the very protocols designed to protect our forces in harm’s way.
In response, Hegseth took to X, proclaiming, “No classified information. Total exoneration. Case closed.” Fine words, but dodging an interview with the Inspector General while claiming vindication feels like a dodge itself, especially when the report highlights a pattern of using Signal for official business.
His chief spokesman, Sean Parnell, echoed the sentiment on X, insisting, “This Inspector General review is a TOTAL exoneration of Secretary Hegseth and proves what we knew all along - no classified information was shared.” Exoneration might be a stretch when the core issue isn’t classification but the sheer folly of using an unapproved app for warzone intel.
Hegseth did provide written answers to the IG, which is something, but hardly the full accountability one expects from a leader in his position. If the Houthis had intercepted those chats, we’d be mourning losses instead of debating semantics.
Democrats on Capitol Hill seized on the report, with Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) declaring, “Pete Hegseth should resign, or the president must remove him at once.” Harsh, yet when you consider the potential peril to pilots aboard the USS Harry S. Truman, it’s hard to dismiss the call as mere partisan noise.
Rep. Adam Smith (D-WA) piled on, labeling the report a “damning review” of Hegseth’s incompetence and disregard for safeguarding troops. While the rhetoric burns hot, the underlying question of why secure channels weren’t used remains unanswered and deeply unsettling.
Sen. Michael Bennet (D-CO) added that Hegseth is “unfit to lead our men and women in uniform” and endangers national security daily. Hyperbole aside, repeated lapses in judgment, including reports of questionable strike orders elsewhere, do cast a long shadow over his tenure.
The broader pattern of Hegseth’s decision-making, from unsecure chats to controversial strikes like the one off Venezuela’s coast, fuels doubts about his grasp of the role’s gravity. When lives hang in the balance, shortcuts aren’t just errors; they’re betrayals of trust.
Democrats may push for impeachment or resignation, but the real fix lies in enforcing strict adherence to security protocols, no exceptions, no excuses. Our troops deserve leaders who prioritize their safety over convenience or bravado, and this incident lays bare a gap that must be closed.
This report isn’t just a bureaucratic slap on the wrist; it’s a wake-up call for accountability at the highest levels of defense leadership. If Hegseth’s actions don’t prompt a serious reckoning, then the system itself fails those who risk everything for our freedom.
