Democrats say a new inspector general report on Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s use of Signal confirms what many have been saying for months: He should resign or be fired.
The Pentagon’s inspector general concluded that Hegseth violated department policy and put U.S. forces at risk by using the Signal messaging app to discuss a planned strike in Yemen in March.
“The report makes clear that Secretary Hegseth put American troops at risk,” Sen. Elizabeth Warren, a Democratic Senator on the Armed Services Committee, told NOTUS. “Hegseth should be fired.”
The report, which was shared with lawmakers before its public release on Thursday, says Hegseth shared sensitive details about the March 15 operation, including the timing and the aircraft involved, through group chats on his personal phone. Investigators say using Signal for operational information was not permitted and exposed the mission to risk if foreign adversaries had accessed the messages.
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“For months, Secretary Hegseth has attempted to mislead Congress and the American people, claiming repeatedly that no classified information was involved,” Sen. Jack Reed, ranking member on the Senate Armed Services Committee, said, according to The Hill. “The Inspector General has now definitively cast doubt on those false assurances.”
The IG notes that the strike information originated from material that carried United States Central Command (CENTCOM) classification markings when it was sent to senior officials. The report does not determine whether Hegseth formally declassified it before placing it in the chats because investigators did not receive a complete message record.
The watchdog said on Wednesday that Hegseth refused an in-person interview and did not turn over his personal phone. Investigators relied instead on screenshots published by The Atlantic and on a small number of messages he provided. The report says this limited cooperation prevented a full accounting of how often Signal was used for official business and whether all records were preserved.
“His deliberate noncooperation with the investigation — refusing to provide his cell phone or be interviewed — call for additional investigation and action,” Richard Blumenthal, a Democrat who serves on the Senate Armed Services Committee, said in a statement.
“Any other Department of Defense employee would be fired, lose their security clearance, and would likely face prosecution for doing what Secretary Hegseth did,” he continued.
Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, said Wednesday that President Donald Trump should fire Hegseth if he doesn’t leave on his own.
“I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Pete Hegseth should resign, or the president must remove him at once,” he said in a statement.
The document does not recommend disciplinary action against Hegseth. It calls for stronger training and updated guidance on personal devices. The IG focuses on policy violations and risk rather than consequences.
The Pentagon claims that the report shows no classified information was leaked and that operational security was not compromised. The IG does not use that language.
“No classified information. Total exoneration. Case closed. Houthis bombed into submission. Thank you for your attention to this IG report,” Hegseth wrote on X.
The report arrives as Hegseth faces separate investigations into a September strike in the Caribbean. Lawmakers are examining whether he issued or allowed an order that could have violated the laws of war. Those inquiries have already raised concerns about his leadership and judgment.
In the House, Democratic Rep. Shri Thanedar announced that he would introduce articles of impeachment against the defense secretary.
A number of Democratic representatives have also renewed criticism of Hegseth.
“The Pentagon Inspector General found Pete Hegseth endangered our servicemembers’ lives,” Rep. Greg Stanton said on X. “He needs to go, stat.”
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