Overview
- The Pentagon's Inspector General has officially opened an investigation into Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's use of the Signal messaging app for official communications.
- The investigation will evaluate whether Hegseth and other officials adhered to policies on commercial messaging apps, document classification, and retention requirements.
- The inquiry follows a security breach where a journalist from The Atlantic was mistakenly added to a Signal group chat discussing U.S. military operations in Yemen.
- Bipartisan leaders of the Senate Armed Services Committee requested the investigation, reflecting growing scrutiny over the breach and its implications.
- President Donald Trump has defended Hegseth, asserting his competence and denying any wrongdoing, while a federal judge has ordered the preservation of related Signal messages.