Pentagon minister criticized for disclosing classified information

In March 2025, U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegset was criticized for improperly disclosing classified information. This was reported by Zamin.uz.

He sent information via the Signal messenger to a group involving a journalist about planned airstrikes on Yemeni Houthi positions. This situation could have endangered the safety of American forces.

According to reports from CNN and AP agencies, the incident was investigated by the Pentagon's chief inspector. The inquiry revealed that although Hegset had permission to downgrade the classification level, he violated the Pentagon's internal regulations.

He used his personal device for official duties. For this reason, the inspector recommended additional training for personnel.

Hegset refused to speak personally with the inspector but attempted to justify his actions in writing. He emphasized that he only shared information that did not pose a security threat in the chat.

Among other things, he wrote about the flight times of military aircraft. The Pentagon supported Hegset.

Military department representative Sean Parnell stated that the chief inspector's investigation exonerated the minister and confirmed that no classified information was leaked. Additionally, U.S. President Donald Trump also expressed his support for Hegset.

However, The Atlantic editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg noted that he was accidentally added to this chat. The chat included high-ranking officials, including National Security Advisors and intelligence leaders.

The publication released the transcript of these messages, drawing attention to the incident. This situation once again brought the issue of adhering to Pentagon internal rules to the forefront.