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A highly anticipated Department of Defense report has determined that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth violated official protocols by disclosing classified intelligence in a private Signal group, according to a source familiar with the report.

Details of the Incident

The chat group in question included details about a planned airstrike in Yemen against Houthi militants. This chat came to light after a journalist for the Atlantic was added as a member.

Other individuals in the chat reportedly included JD Vance, CIA director John Ratcliffe, and former security advisor Mike Waltz. The investigation focused solely on the actions of Hegseth, as the other officials are not employed at the Pentagon.

Signal is a commercially offered communication application that was not authorized for transmitting sensitive material.

Potential Threat to Troops

The internal investigation found that the intelligence circulated by Hegseth was classified and could have endangered the safety of US service members if it had been obtained by a foreign enemy force.

However, the document also noted that Hegseth possessed the authority to declassify the information he distributed, though it was not specified whether he formally exercised that authority.

Secretary's Response

The source said that Hegseth refused to be interviewed by the investigators. Instead, he provided a brief written statement.

In his response, Hegseth asserted he only disclosed details that would not have risked lives or jeopardized the operation. He further stated that he possessed the authority to declassify material and considered the investigation to be politically motivated.

Future Actions

The completed report has been shared with lawmakers. An publicly releasable copy is expected to be made public later this week.