A new report from the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General uncovers significant security gaps. It alleges that Pete Hegseth, the Trump Defense Secretary, employed the commercial chat service Signal to coordinate military operations in Yemen. The deployment of an unapproved and unsecured app presents an alarming risk to the safety of American troops. It raises serious concerns about adherence to long-existing Department of Defense policies.
Hegseth established accounts using sensitive personally identifiable information, which he leaked on his public Signal app. This included important operational information such as the number and timing of manned U.S. aircraft attacks in enemy areas. All of this communication was mere two to four hours before the strikes occurred. It would have jeopardized our operational security.
Details of the Breach
Hegseth’s office created the Signal app. This arrangement allowed for unfiltered communication with high-level senior administration officials, up to and including Vice-President JD Vance. The three or four key nuts and bolts of the military application and operations you need to figure out. They planned the timing, targets and the precise aircraft and weapons for the attack.
The Signal app being unapproved was dangerous because it left an opening. Because of that, all the sensitive information was transmitted across a completely unsecured network. The report further made clear that the Secretary provided information showing how many US manned aircraft went on mission over hostile territory and their strike times. This happened through an unknown and unsecured network, around 2–4 hours prior to the strikes taking place.
Inspector General’s Findings
The full report is 84 pages long, and lays out in stark detail how Hegseth’s actions were a clear breach of Department of Defense policy. Hegseth was granted the ability to declassify certain materials. His actions could have far more seriously risked the safety of American forces. The report called out that he chose to do “vague general information.” For each of these points, he deemed them either unclassified or able to be declassified, with the goal of producing an “unclassified summary” for the Signal chat members.
In addition to shedding light on Hegseth’s wrongdoing, the report called for a broad reassessment of how national and global security information is classified. It urged improved training for top officials on proper use of electronic communications.
Implications for Military Protocols
The implications of this report are significant. High-ranking officials are flouting legal requirements at worst and woefully mishandling them at best. This is further underlined by their rogue use of a commercial messaging app to plot military operations. Such breaches underscore the need for robust training and compliance with recognized communication policies and procedures within the Department of Defense.
Additionally, with military operations now requiring more frequent and secure digital communication, being able to keep all channels of communication secure is imperative. The inspector general made some robust recommendations to mitigate risks associated with future breaches. These guidelines acknowledge the serious need to safeguard sensitive information.
