Washington, D.C. — December 4, 2025

A highly anticipated Pentagon inspector general report has determined that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth improperly transmitted classified information about U.S. airstrikes against Houthi targets in Yemen using the commercial messaging app Signal, in direct violation of Defense Department security regulations.

The 87-page classified report, completed after an eight-month investigation and delivered to Congress this week, concludes that messages Hegseth sent in two separate Signal group chats in March 2025 contained operational details marked at the SECRET//NOFORN level. These included precise launch times of fighter jets, sequencing of strikes, and other real-time tactical data from Operation Rough Rider—the Trump administration’s intensified air campaign in the Red Sea region.

The probe, led by Acting Inspector General Stephen Stebbins, found that Hegseth used his personal iPhone inside his secure Pentagon office to forward the sensitive updates, breaching rules that prohibit the use of unsecured devices and commercial applications for classified material.

The incident first came to light when Jeffrey Goldberg, editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, revealed he had been inadvertently added to a high-level Signal chat titled “Houthi PC Small Group.” Participants included Vice President J.D. Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, and other senior officials. Shortly after receiving a classified briefing from U.S. Central Command, Hegseth began posting live updates such as aircraft launch times and strike confirmations.

A second, even more controversial chat was later exposed in which Hegseth shared similar operational details with a group that included his wife, his brother (a Pentagon employee), and his personal attorney—individuals who lacked the security clearances and need-to-know required for such information.

Although the secretary possesses declassification authority, investigators found no evidence that Hegseth formally invoked it before transmitting the material, and the use of Signal itself violated standing DoD policy regardless of classification status.

Hegseth and the White House initially downplayed the episode, insisting no classified information had been compromised and describing the messages as routine updates. The inspector general’s findings directly contradict that characterization.

Congressional reaction has been sharp, with members of both parties on the Senate and House Armed Services Committees renewing calls for Hegseth to testify publicly about the breaches. Some Democrats have gone further, suggesting the disclosures may have endangered U.S. pilots and amounted to reckless conduct unbecoming of the nation’s top defense official.

The Pentagon has declined to comment on the classified report in detail but confirmed it is reviewing the inspector general’s recommendations, which reportedly include mandatory retraining for the secretary and senior staff on handling classified information.