The United States Department of Defense Office of Inspector General announced on Thursday that it has launched an evaluation into the reported use of a commercially available messaging application by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth for official government business.

The investigation seeks to determine the extent to which Hegseth and other Pentagon personnel complied with Department of Defense policies and procedures related to the use of such messaging applications. The probe will also examine their adherence to classification protocols and records retention requirements when using these tools for official communication.

This development comes in response to a leak by journalist Jeffrey Goldberg of The Atlantic, who revealed messages exchanged between U.S. officials—among them Hegseth—regarding Washington’s plans for a military operation against Yemen’s Houthi forces. The messages were reportedly shared in a Signal group chat, to which Goldberg was mistakenly added by U.S. National Security Advisor Mike Waltz.

The leak raised concerns over the secure handling of sensitive military planning and the use of non-government platforms for discussions involving classified or operational details. The watchdog's review will focus on determining if such practices breached internal protocols or compromised national security policies.

As the evaluation unfolds, it underscores the Pentagon’s increasing scrutiny of digital communication practices within its leadership ranks and the broader implications of using commercial apps for sensitive operations. The results of the review could influence future Department of Defense communication standards and operational security protocols.