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Top Republicans and Democrats on the Senate Armed Services Committee have requested an investigation of Pentagon inspectors whether classified defense information is shared on Signal, an encrypted messaging platform.
“The chat is said to have included classification information on sensitive military discussions in Yemen,” R-Miss said. Chairman Roger Wicker and Rankings member Dr. Jack Reed wrote in a letter to the proxy inspector of Stephen Stebbins. “If so, this report raises questions regarding the use of unclassified networks and discusses classified sensitive information.”
The letter was sent Wednesday evening, a committee spokesman said after the Atlantic released a full message containing details about the planned strike on Yemen’s Houtsis, it revealed that the target was successfully killed when he collapsed.
White House officials alleged that information secretary Pete Hegses and national security adviser Mike Waltz allegedly shared the matter in the chat.
Trump Team Signal Snaff discusses secure communications: “Russia and China are listening”
Top Republicans and Democrats on the Senate Armed Services Committee requested an investigation signal chat for the Pentagon inspector general. (AP photo)
Stebbins is the acting Pentagon Watchdog after President Donald Trump fired 17 inspectors, including Department of Defense IG, shortly after taking office.
Wicker told reporters Wednesday he would ask for a “quickly” investigation.
Hegseth’s signalling messages revealed that F-18s, naval fighter jets, MQ-9s, drones, and Tomahawk cruise missiles will be used on the Houthis strike.
“1215et: F-18S launch (1st strike package)” Heggs said in one message informing high-level administrative staff chat that the attack is underway.
“1345: The ‘trigger-based’ F-18 1st strike window begins (the target terrorist is @ his known location so it should be on time.
“1410: Other F-18 releases (second strike package)”
“1415: Target Strike Drone (this is when the first bomb definitely falls and holds on the previous “trigger-based” target)”
“The second strike of the 1536 F-18 is underway, and the first sea-based Tomahawks have been released.”
“Follow more (by timeline)”
“We are currently clean at OPSEC,” meaning operational security.
Trump doesn’t plan to fire Waltz after leaking the national security text chain
Waltz then wrote that the mission was successful. “The first target – their top missile man actively identified as walking to his girlfriend’s building. It’s now collapsed.”
Unintentionally added to the chat, Atlantic’s Jeffrey Goldberg published the first story that did not include details about the strike he believed to be sensitive. After the White House claimed that the information was not classified, he asked them if they opposed to publishing it.
White House press secretary Caroline Leavitt responded that they opposed.
“There is no place, there is no source or way. There is no war plan,” Waltz wrote to X on Wednesday.
Government officials use signals to communicate, even when it comes to confidential information, given that even when it comes to confidential information, they do not always have quick access to sensitive information (SCIF).
National Security Advisor Mike Waltz and Defense Secretary Pete Hegses have alleged that no one shares a “war plan” in the chat. (Reuters/Brian Snyder)
“This is an approved app. It’s an encrypted app,” Leavitt insisted on Wednesday to a reporter.
Still, even some Republicans have complained about how the situation was handled.
“The addition of Goldberg to the chat is “completely sloppy” and the information shared is either categorized or at least very sensitive,” said Sen. Nick Lalota, a navy veteran with top-secret clearance.
“By the wrong hands, like Houthis and the enemy of America, Intel of this kind may have put our mission at risk and put our troops at greater risk,” he told Fox News Digital. “When Hillary put all the information that was categorized into an unclassified server, it was wrong. When Biden had a file that was sensitive to his garage, it was wrong. And now it’s wrong.”
The Senate letter called for an “explained and consequential corrective measures” and an assessment of whether appropriate policies were followed was relevant to government officials.
He also called on IG to investigate how policies of the DOD, intelligence reporting community, national security council and the White House differ on the issue.
“Adding Goldberg to the chat is “completely sloppy” and the information shared is either categorized or at least very sensitive,” said Senator Nick Larota. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File)
DoD IG’s office confirmed that it received a letter to Fox News Digital yesterday and said it was in the process of reviewing it.
Earlier this week, Wicker and Reed said they would “probably” hold a bipartisan hearing over signal chat. However, given the political nature of the story, it may be easier to allow independent watchdogs to carry out their fact-finding mission.
“This is exactly why the independent office of inspector generals is so valuable. When the situation becomes a hot button political issue, it is extremely helpful for a group of objective, nonpartisan trained experts to conduct fact-finding and answer difficult questions.”
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She warned not to expect IG to give answers on whether or not criminal activity was committed, and that she would not expect a quick investigation considering the crossover of agencies involved in the chat.
“It’s very difficult to do anything quickly when accompanied by inter-ministerial capabilities. Inter-ministerial reviews require sailing through a complex maze of boundaries of jurisdiction. The committee can quickly answer some of that question, but it should wait for answers to the more central questions it raised.”
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