Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley Demands Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s Resignation Over Signalgate
Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley has called for the resignation of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. This demand follows a recent Pentagon inspector general’s report that revealed Hegseth compromised U.S. troop safety by sharing sensitive military plans via the Signal messaging app.
Summary of Events
The Pentagon’s report stated that Hegseth had the authority to declassify the information he shared in March. This information pertained to preparations for an attack on Houthi rebels in Yemen. However, the report concluded that sharing this data still violated Pentagon regulations regarding sensitive information management.
Concerns Over Security Breach
Senator Merkley expressed his outrage on social media, asserting that the report clearly indicates Hegseth should either resign or be removed from office. He emphasized that Hegseth’s nomination was questionable from the start.
The Pentagon report highlighted the potential risks from Hegseth’s actions: “If this information had fallen into the hands of U.S. adversaries, Houthi forces might have been able to counter U.S. forces or reposition personnel and assets to avoid planned U.S. strikes,” it stated.
Hegseth’s Response
Despite the gravity of the findings, Hegseth declined to participate in the investigation interviews. However, he defended his actions in a statement, claiming that there was nothing classified in the messages he shared. “There were no locations or targets identified,” he asserted and maintained that the information would not jeopardize the troops.
Ongoing Military Actions
In addition to the scrutiny over the Signal incident, Hegseth is facing further examination regarding ongoing military operations. The U.S. military has conducted its 22nd airstrike against suspected drug-smuggling vessels in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific. The latest strike, executed on Thursday, resulted in four fatalities. Since September, a total of 87 individuals have reportedly died in these operations.
On the same day, Admiral Frank “Mitch” Bradley participated in a series of closed-door briefings in the U.S. Capitol. Lawmakers are investigating a specific strike from September 2, which was reported to have killed survivors in a follow-up attack under Hegseth’s directives. While Bradley clarified that there was no explicit order to eliminate all survivors, the footage from the strikes raises significant ethical and legal questions among legislators.
Legal experts have cautioned that targeting survivors could violate the laws governing military warfare. The findings and ongoing discussions pose a serious challenge to Hegseth’s leadership amid growing concerns about the conduct of U.S. military operations.
