Hegseth Team Condemns Pentagon's 'Signalgate' Probe

Pentagon Denounces Internal Review of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s team has strongly criticized the Pentagon’s internal review of his actions during the “Signalgate” affair, labeling the independent inquiry as a “political witch hunt.” The team also claimed that details of the nonpartisan investigation were leaked to the media by individuals associated with the Biden administration. These remarks were made in a written statement from Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell.

Parnell acknowledged for the first time that Hegseth has submitted a statement to the Defense Department inspector general’s office. In this statement, Hegseth expressed his belief that the entire review is a “sham,” conducted in bad faith and with extreme bias. The use of the term “witch hunt” echoes language previously used by former President Donald Trump when facing scrutiny, suggesting an attempt to discredit the review before its findings are made public.

The inspector general’s review was requested by a bipartisan group of lawmakers, including Senator Roger Wicker (R-Mississippi), chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and Senator Jack Reed (D-Rhode Island). The review aims to determine whether Hegseth and his team followed Defense Department policies while using unclassified, commercial messaging applications like Signal for official business.

The controversy surrounding Hegseth began in March when an editor from The Atlantic magazine was accidentally added to a Signal group chat where Hegseth and other high-ranking officials from the Trump administration discussed a planned U.S. bombing campaign in Yemen. Hegseth’s involvement in the chat has drawn significant attention, as his Signal account shared sensitive, advance information about the military strikes before they occurred.

Mollie Halpern, a spokeswoman for the inspector general’s office, declined to comment on the matter, citing policy restrictions that prevent the office from discussing ongoing cases. Wicker, the Republican chairman of the Armed Services Committee, could not be reached for comment at the time of the report.

Reed, the committee’s top Democrat, criticized Hegseth’s team for their allegations against the inspector general. He stated, “The civilian leadership of the Department of Defense is not above the law.” He emphasized that the inspector general’s office is tasked with impartially following all evidence and reporting its findings without bias.

Parnell’s statement was first reported by the New York Times, which also covered Trump’s interest in meeting senior military officers nominated for key assignments. This follows a previous report by The Washington Post, which revealed that the inspector general’s team had received evidence indicating that messages from Hegseth’s Signal account originated from a classified email sent to senior Pentagon officials by General Michael “Erik” Kurilla, the top officer overseeing U.S. operations in the Middle East.

The email was labeled “SECRET/NOFORN,” meaning unauthorized disclosure could cause serious damage to national security. It was also intended for U.S. officials only, not foreign nationals, including allies. Hegseth’s Signal account reportedly shared similar sensitive details with at least one other group chat that included his wife, Jennifer; his brother, Phil; and a personal lawyer, Tim Parlatore.

This situation may test whether Hegseth will uphold his past promises to allow the inspector general’s office to operate independently. During his confirmation process, he assured Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Massachusetts) that he would protect the independence of the DoD IG if confirmed.

Following Trump’s return to the White House, the Defense Department inspector general, Robert Storch, was fired, along with 14 other watchdog leaders. Steven A. Stebbins, who is now handling the case against Hegseth, was appointed as Storch’s acting replacement. Stebbins, a former Army officer, retired from the military in 2015 and joined the inspector general’s office later that year.

The inspector general’s findings are expected soon, and there is growing curiosity about Hegseth’s long-term plans. He has reportedly considered running for political office in Tennessee, including a potential gubernatorial bid. However, Tennessee requires candidates to have lived in the state for seven years before running for office, a requirement that Hegseth does not currently meet. This development was first reported by NBC News.