Pentagon Watchdog Finds Classified Info Shared from Hegseth’s Signal Account, Undermining Denials

The Pentagon inspector general has obtained a classified U.S. military document that was shared from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s Signal account earlier this year, according to individuals familiar with the investigation.

The document, marked Secret/NOFORN—prohibiting access by foreign nationals—originated from U.S. Central Command and included sensitive details about American operations in Yemen. It was shared to a Signal group chat involving Cabinet officials and Vice President JD Vance.

The watchdog launched its review in April after concerns surfaced about Hegseth using the encrypted messaging app to communicate military plans. The discovery of the document appears to directly challenge Hegseth’s repeated denials that classified information was shared.

CNN previously reported that Hegseth also shared similar details in a separate Signal chat with his wife, brother, and personal attorney.

Chief Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell continued to reject the claims in a statement:
“This Signal narrative is so old and worn out, it’s starting to resemble Joe Biden’s mental state. The Department stands behind its previous statements: no classified information was shared via Signal.”

Parnell emphasized that recent military successes — including Operation Rough Rider and Operation Midnight Hammer — reflect high standards of operational security.

The Office of the Inspector General declined to comment, citing policy on active investigations. However, sources say the IG is exploring whether someone else may have entered the classified material into the chat using Hegseth’s device. At the time of the message on March 15, Hegseth was reportedly at his home in Tennessee.

Witnesses have described being involved in about a dozen Signal threads involving Hegseth, raising further questions about the extent of the messaging app’s use for sensitive communications.

During a June congressional hearing, Hegseth declined to say whether the content was classified but still claimed the mission was “incredibly successful.”
“You can very well disclose whether or not it was classified,” said Rep. Seth Moulton.
“What’s not classified is that it was an incredibly successful mission,” Hegseth responded.

The Pentagon’s internal review continues.

Credit: CNN Newsource

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