Chat scandal in the Pentagon: Hegseth in the sight of the investigators!

Chat scandal in the Pentagon: Hegseth in the sight of the investigators!

Yemen - The general inspector of the Pentagon announced today that an investigation into possible security violations in the area of Defense Minister Pete Hegseth is initiated. The occasion is an incident in which military information about attack plans against the Houthi militias in Yemen were discussed inappropriately in a chat group. This was possible when Mike Waltz, a former national security advisor under Trump, accidentally added journalist Jeffrey Goldberg to a signal chat group in which military operations were communicated. It turned out that Hegseth revealed details there about weapons and the time of attack, which immediately raised questions about his suitability as Minister of Defense. According to OE24 , the situation became more complicated when Waltz was published by the "Atlantic" all connections to Goldberg.

Hegseth, which was confirmed with a narrow majority of 51 to 50 votes in the Senate as Defense Minister, not only sees itself towards this investigation, but also serious allegations that range from excessive alcohol enjoyment to sexual assault. Before his appointment, Hegseth worked as a moderator at Fox News and served as a major in the Army National Guard, where he endeavored to cultivate the image of simple soldiers and to promote fundamental military principles. In New York Times it is pointed out that he has shared sensitive information about a planned air raid in Yemen on an unsecured messaging app, which is what his reputation and its suitability for the office puts.

military secrets and their protection

Compliance with security protocols is of the utmost importance for US military members, since violations can lead to relatives punished disciplinary, deprived their security releases or even put them before a war court. The incident with Hegseth not only has personal consequences, but also raises fundamental questions about the handling of military secrets. Understanding military secrets and their classification is crucial because they contain information that may not be made accessible for legal reasons. According to Wikipedia , military secrets are particularly protected to protect the national defense.

In many countries, including Germany and Austria, strict regulations on the secrecy of information in the military area apply. This information is divided into different levels of confidentiality, including "secret" and "strict secret". In Germany, specific paragraphs of criminal law regulate the protection of military secrets, while in Austria the Military Criminal Act contains clear requirements for dealing with such secrets.

In the case of Hegseth, it remains to be seen which legal and professional consequences will result in the ongoing examination, and to what extent this could have an impact on his political career. The incident impressively shows how important the protection of military information is and what consequences a abuse can result.