Pentagon Watchdog: Former Official's Private Messages Risked Sensitive Data

A U.S. Department of Defense investigation has concluded that a former senior official compromised sensitive military information. The official, Douglas Hegseth, used a private messaging app for work-related communications while serving as a Pentagon chief of staff. The report from the Inspector General states Hegseth used the app "Signal" to discuss official matters. This practice violated Pentagon policy designed to protect classified and sensitive data. By using a non-secure, private channel, the communications were not properly recorded or secured. In a separate finding, the watchdog detailed a 2020 Trump administration directive to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Officials ordered ICE to focus enforcement actions on undocumented Somali immigrants in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The report notes this order caused internal concerns. Some ICE officers worried the directive was overly broad and could be seen as discriminatory targeting of a specific community based on nationality.