Pentagon watchdog probes if staff deleted Pete Hegseth's Signal chats about Yemen

The Pentagon's watchdog is looking into whether immoderate of Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth’s aides were asked to delete Signal messages that whitethorn have contained delicate subject accusation that was shared pinch a reporter, according to 2 group acquainted pinch nan probe and documents reviewed by The Associated Press (AP).

The Inspector General of nan Defence Department’s petition focuses connected how information astir nan 15 March US aerial strikes connected Houthi targets successful Yemen came to beryllium shared connected nan messaging app.

Besides uncovering retired whether anyone was asked to delete Signal messages, nan inspector wide is besides asking immoderate past and existent staffers who were pinch Hegseth connected nan time of nan strikes who posted nan accusation and who had entree to his phone.

Democratic lawmakers and a mini number of Republicans person said that nan accusation Hegseth posted to nan Signal chats earlier nan subject jets had reached their targets could person put nan pilots' lives astatine consequence and that for immoderate lower-ranking members of nan subject it would person led to their firing.

Hegseth has said nary of nan accusation shared was classified.

But existent and erstwhile subject officials person said location is nary measurement specifications pinch that specificity, particularly earlier a onslaught took place, would person been cleared to stock connected an unsecured device.

"I said repeatedly, cipher is texting warfare plans," Hegseth told Fox News successful April aft reporting emerged astir nan chat that included his family members.

"I look astatine warfare plans each day. What was shared complete Signal past and now, nevertheless you characterise it, was informal, unclassified coordinations, for media coordinations and different things. That’s what I’ve said from nan beginning."

News of nan imminent probe comes arsenic Hegseth is scheduled to attest earlier Congress adjacent week for nan first clip since his confirmation hearing.

He is apt to look questions nether oath not only astir his handling of delicate accusation but besides nan wider turmoil astatine nan Pentagon following the departures of respective elder aides and an soul investigation complete accusation leaks.

Security issues astatine nan Pentagon

Hegseth has already has faced questions complete nan installation of an unsecured net statement successful his agency that bypassed Pentagon information protocols and revelations that he shared details astir US subject strikes successful aggregate Signal chats.

One of nan chats included his woman and brother, while nan different included President Donald Trump's apical nationalist information officials and, inadvertently, The Atlantic's editor-in-chief, Jeffrey Goldberg.

Pentagon property caput Kingsley Wilson made nary remark connected Friday, citing nan pending investigation.

The inspector general's agency didn't instantly respond to a petition from nan AP for comment.

US President Donald Trump has made clear that Hegseth continues to person his support, saying during a Memorial Day reside astatine Arlington National Cemetery successful Virginia that nan defence caput "went done a lot" but "he's doing really well."

Hegseth has constricted his nationalist engagements pinch nan property since nan Signal controversy. He has yet to clasp a Pentagon property briefing and his spokesperson has briefed reporters location only once.

The inspector wide is investigating Hegseth astatine nan petition of nan Republican president of nan Senate Armed Services Committee, Senator Roger Wicker of Mississippi and nan committee's apical Democrat, Senator Jack Reed of Rhode Island.

Signal is simply a publically disposable app that provides encrypted communications, but it tin beryllium hacked and is not approved for carrying classified information.

On 14 March, 1 time earlier nan US strikes successful Yemen, nan Defence Department cautioned unit astir nan app's vulnerability.

Trump has said his management targeted nan Houthis complete their "unrelenting run of piracy, unit and terrorism."

He noted nan disruption Houthi attacks caused done nan Red Sea and nan Gulf of Aden, cardinal waterways for power and cargo shipments betwixt Asia and Europe done Egypt’s Suez Canal.

The Houthis attacked much than 100 merchant vessels pinch missiles and drones, sinking 2 vessels and sidesplitting 4 sailors, betwixt November 2023 until January this year.

Their activity described nan attacks arsenic aimed astatine ending nan Israeli warfare against Hamas successful Gaza.