Start Here Pentagon Watchdog's "Signalgate" Report
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Dec 4, 2025 Anne Flaherty, a military reporter for ABC News, breaks down the Pentagon's watchdog report on Defense Secretary Hegseth's controversial Signal chat use, revealing classified info without legal breaches. Jay O'Brien discusses President Trump's surprising pardon of Rep. Henry Cuellar amidst bribery allegations, exploring mixed reactions on Capitol Hill. Alex Stone sheds light on the sentencing of a doctor involved in Matthew Perry's death, detailing a ketamine distribution scheme that tragically contributed to the star's struggles.
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Signal Messages Risked Troop Safety
- The Pentagon IG found Pete Hegseth's Signal messages were classified and relayed operational details before a strike.
- Investigators concluded that sharing those details on a commercial app could have put U.S. troops at risk.
Declassification Power Doesn't Equal Best Practice
- Hegseth argued he declassified the information as Defense Secretary, so the IG said he didn't technically break the law.
- Experts call that legally possible but poor judgment absent the usual interagency review and paper trail.
Avoid Improvised Declassification
- Follow formal declassification procedures and interagency review for operational intelligence.
- Avoid improvising declassification on commercial apps to protect troops and national security.