War Secretary Pete Hegseth reportedly came under scrutiny again this week after the Defense Department’s Inspector General released a report stating he likely violated Pentagon regulations by sharing details about a U.S. attack on Houthi terrorists in Yemen through the encrypted messaging app Signal. The report, delivered to members of Congress Tuesday evening, immediately fueled partisan reactions on Capitol Hill.
According to The Wall Street Journal, the IG acknowledged that Hegseth, as War Secretary, holds the authority to declassify any War Department information at his discretion.
That means that although regulations advise officials not to share sensitive material on unclassified platforms, Hegseth’s actions may not constitute a violation of federal law. The distinction underscores the complicated nature of the claims and raises questions about whether critics are overstating the issue for political gain.
The Inspector General’s investigation began in April after journalist Jeffrey Goldberg of The Atlantic revealed the contents of the Signal chat.
Goldberg had been accidentally added to the group when his contact information synced through the phone of United Nations Ambassador Mike Waltz, who at the time was serving as President Donald Trump’s National Security Adviser. The inadvertent exposure set off a months-long review that Democrats quickly seized on.
Several lawmakers who read the report reacted publicly, including Senator Mark Kelly of Arizona, who recently made headlines for appearing in a video encouraging military personnel to question orders they believe may be unlawful.
Kelly pointed to the IG’s finding that Hegseth should not have used a cellphone to transmit sensitive information. “They very clearly stated he should not be using his cellphone and putting … this kind of information on an unclassified system,” Kelly said, echoing Democratic criticisms that have intensified since Hegseth took office.
Republicans, however, called the controversy predictable and politically motivated. Senator Eric Schmitt of Missouri pushed back strongly, noting that Democrats have targeted Hegseth from the moment his confirmation began.
“The arc of the story is that it’s just a never ending stream of efforts to undermine Pete Hegseth, right? The whole controversy,” he said. “So they didn’t get him in the confirmation process? Make a big deal out of this.” Schmitt dismissed the report as a “nothing burger,” adding, “I wouldn’t expect it to end with this, but I think again, the President has faith in Secretary Hegseth. I think he’s doing a great job, and it is what it is.”
The issue also highlights the increasingly aggressive efforts from critics who suggest, without evidence, that Trump or Hegseth have issued unlawful military orders—claims pushed most notably by Kelly. The release of the IG report gives both sides fresh ammunition, though its findings stop well short of the sensational accusations circulated by some in the media.
The full unclassified report—delayed by the recent government shutdown—is scheduled for public release on Thursday. With Democrats eager to prolong the controversy and Republicans seeing it as just the latest attempt to weaken a key Trump official, the political fallout is likely far from over.