American Oversight Calls for Hegseth’s Resignation Following Washington Post Reporting on Signal Messages
“Hegseth risked our national security, endangered the lives of our brave men and women in uniform, and repeatedly lied about it to the American people," said Executive Director Chioma Chukwu. "He must resign.”
On Wednesday, the Washington Post published a bombshell report that the Pentagon’s independent watchdog has received evidence that messages from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s Signal account previewing a U.S. bombing campaign in Yemen originated from a classified email, directly contradicting Hegseth and the Trump administration’s longstanding claims that no classified information was shared in the unclassified group chats at the center of the Signalgate scandal. In response, nonpartisan watchdog American Oversight released the following statement from Executive Director Chioma Chukwu:
“Pete Hegseth risked our national security, endangered the lives of our brave men and women in uniform, and repeatedly lied about it to the American people. He must resign. It is a fundamental breach of trust to expose classified war plans to unauthorized parties, and profoundly reckless to do so using a commercial app regularly targeted by foreign adversaries. Hegseth’s actions undermine our national defense, violate the law, and betray the oath he swore to uphold. His continued leadership at the Pentagon and service in the administration is not just indefensible — it is dangerous. He must step down or be removed from office immediately.
“The Post’s reporting underscores the indispensable role that independent inspectors general play in exposing government misconduct, safeguarding national security, and defending the public’s right to the truth. In a moment when senior administration officials are caught revealing classified war plans and misleading the public, it is critical that inspectors general have the independence to follow the facts and report any misconduct to leaders in the executive and legislative branches without fear or favor.”
Wednesday’s revelation that Hegseth’s Signal messages contained information from classified emails may not have been possible were it not for American Oversight’s swift action securing a March 27 court order protecting the messages from automatic deletion. The Defense Department Inspector General’s investigation, which followed soon after the nonpartisan watchdog’s initial lawsuit, further underscores the importance of American Oversight’s ongoing litigation against Hegseth and other cabinet members to compel them, along with acting U.S. Archivist Marco Rubio, to ensure that existing Signal messages are preserved for the benefit of future investigations and public accountability.