The Pentagon has launched an investigation into the use of the encrypted messenger Signal by US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth following the scandal known as Signalgate. This was reported by Reuters.
The investigation aims to determine the extent to which Hegseth and other officials complied with the rules and procedures for using commercial messengers for official purposes. It will also examine compliance with document retention and classification requirements.
The scandal erupted after a journalist from The Atlantic accidentally gained access to a group chat on Signal, where details of planned attacks on Houthi rebels in Yemen were discussed. The published screenshots indicated the exact time of the attacks and the types of weapons that were planned to be used.
According to a Defence Ministry spokesperson, the investigation was launched at the request of two influential members of the US Senate Armed Services Committee, a Republican representative and his Democratic counterpart. The inspectors are to find out whether the law or ethical standards were violated by the Ministry of Defence.
Despite the scandal, President Donald Trump has defended Hegseth, claiming that he is “doing a great job” and was not involved in the leak. Trump called the situation a “witch hunt” organised by his Democratic opponents.
Last week, a federal judge ordered the Trump administration to preserve all messages sent between senior US officials on Signal.
