A highly anticipated report detailing the use of the Signal messaging app for classified communications within the Trump administration will be released to the public on Thursday. The investigation, conducted by the War Department’s inspector general, centers on discussions surrounding planned military strikes against Houthi targets in March.
The probe began after concerns were raised on Capitol Hill regarding potential breaches of security protocols. Specifically, the inquiry examines whether sensitive operational details concerning a U.S. offensive in Yemen were improperly shared via Signal, a platform known for its end-to-end encryption.
The initial Signal chat was created by then-National Security Advisor Mike Waltz and included numerous high-ranking Cabinet members. A critical, unintended inclusion was Jeffrey Goldberg, the editor-in-chief of the Atlantic, raising immediate questions about the security of the information being exchanged.
Inspector General Steven Stebbins’ report will assess compliance with classification and records retention requirements. It will also scrutinize whether Secretary Pete Hegseth’s messages revealed classified information about the impending strikes, including the specific military assets slated for deployment.
Hegseth’s Signal messages, as detailed in the report, explicitly mentioned the use of F-18 fighter jets, MQ-9 drones, and Tomahawk cruise missiles in the operation. Messages included time-stamped updates like “1215et: F-18s LAUNCH (1st strike package)” and “1415: Strike Drones on Target.”
The messages paint a picture of real-time updates during the operation, even noting the identification of a key target: “The first target — their top missile guy — was positively ID’d walking into his girlfriend's building. It’s now collapsed.” Despite the detailed nature of the communications, Trump administration officials maintain that no classified information was compromised.
Thursday’s release is expected to be a tense moment for the Pentagon, coinciding with a separate briefing on Capitol Hill. Admiral Mitch Bradley, commander of Special Operations Command, will face lawmakers to address a controversial incident involving a “double tap” strike on alleged narco-traffickers in September.
The incident involved a second strike ordered after the initial attack on a boat left two survivors clinging to wreckage. Critics and legal analysts have argued that targeting shipwrecked individuals constitutes a war crime, sparking a fierce debate over the legality and morality of the operation.
Initial reports, citing sources within the Washington Post, alleged that Hegseth directed Bradley to “kill them all.” However, Hegseth vehemently denies issuing such a directive, claiming Bradley made the decision independently. U.S. officials speaking to the New York Times corroborate Hegseth’s account, stating he did not order the second strike.
Bradley will present his account of the events to the House and Senate Armed Services Committees, offering a firsthand perspective on the decision-making process that led to the second strike. The outcome of both the Signal report release and Bradley’s briefing could have significant repercussions for those involved and raise critical questions about operational security and adherence to the laws of war.
