Signal scandal: Pentagon probes Pete Hegseth aides; leaks, clearance lapses flagged
Two of the Pentagon's leading investigative agencies are examining the involvement of two close aides to defence secretary Pete Hegseth in a controversy over the use of the Signal app for discussing sensitive government matters, according to three sources familiar with the investigations, as reported by Politico.
An investigation was initially opened in early April by the defence department inspector general's office to look into whether Hegeseth breached the agency's standards for sharing classified information by using the Signal app to discuss active attack plans in Yemen.
The Signal app, a commercial messaging app, is not approved by the US government to discuss classified information due to security concerns.
The Pentagon's investigations into the two senior aides to Hegseth had not been publicly disclosed until now.
As part of the investigation, officials are looking into whether Ricky Buria, a senior aide of Hegseth, had allowed him to use the app, circumventing security protocols, as per three people recently interviewed by officials.
A separate inquiry is being carried out by the Air Force Office of Special Investigators (OSI), a federal law agency under the Pentagon, to investigate whether Buria could have been a potential source of leaks earlier this year when, as a military aide, he attended sensitive meetings and had access to Hegseth's devices, as per the three people, reports Politico.
OSI is also looking into whether Tim Parlatore, Hegseth's personal attorney and a senior adviser at the Department of Defence, attended meetings where classified information was discussed despite not having the necessary security clearance.
'Ricky and Tim are some of the folks that they're zeroing in on as they try to get to the root of everything,' said an individual familiar with the investigations.
Hegseth had allegedly created a second chat on the Signal app, which included his wife Jennifer, as well as his brother Phil Hegseth where he shared similar details of a military strike against Yemen's Houthi militants similar to those sent in a separate chain with senior Trump administration officials, reported the New York Times earlier this year.
He had allegedly also used a commercial internet line known as 'dirty line' in IT terms to circumvent standard defence security measures and access encrypted messaging platforms like Signal, a source was quoted as saying by AP in April.
Investigators have inquired about the security vulnerabilities of the Signal app, the extent of Hegseth's use of it, and the accuracy of the messages.
The IG and OSI have asked witnesses if they were ever told to delete Signal messages from their phones, according to two sources.
Such actions could break federal records laws like the Presidential Records Act and the Federal Records Act. These laws can lead to civil or administrative penalties, and in more serious cases, officials could face fines or jail time for deleting classified information or government records.
'Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has successfully reoriented the Department of Defense to put the interests of America's Warfighters and America's taxpayers first, and it has never been better positioned to execute on its mission than it is today,' stated Chief Pentagon spokesperson in an email. 'The success speaks for itself,' he added, as reported by Politico.
The Pentagon did not comment on the investigation of Hegseth or his aides at the defence department. Buria and Parlatore also did not comment on the ongoing probe.
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