Donald Trump’s Defence Secretary had an unsecured internet connection set up in the Pentagon so that he could bypass government security protocols and use Signal on his personal computer, reports suggest.
Pete Hegseth reportedly had a “dirty line” in his personal office to access websites and applications blocked on his department’s usual networks, including the encrypted messaging service.
This revelation adds to growing concerns about Mr Hegseth’s handling of sensitive defence information and potential security vulnerabilities at the highest level.
The President is continuing to back Mr Hegseth following reports that details of a military attack by Houthi rebels were shared in a Signal group chat that included his wife Jennifer and brother Phil.
The controversy comes a month after The Atlantic editor Jeffrey Goldberg was accidentally added to a separate Signal group chat in which US cabinet officials, including Mr Hegseth, discussed planned strikes in Yemen.
Now it is alleged that Mr Hegseth, a former Fox News presenter, evaded Pentagon security filters to connect to a public internet line and use Signal.
It raises the possibility that classified information could have been exposed to spies or potential hackers.
Sources told the Associated Press that at times there were three computers around Mr Hegseth’s desk — a personal computer, another for classified information and a third for sensitive details.
Sean Parnell, the Pentagon’s chief spokesman, said: “We can confirm that the secretary has never used and does not currently use Signal on his government computer.”
In 2016, when it was reported that then-Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton used a private email server to conduct official business when she was secretary of state, Mr Hegseth said: “Any security professional would be fired on the spot for this type of conduct and criminally prosecuted”
Earlier this year, the National Security Agency issued warnings about foreign hackers potentially targeting officials using Signal, which has around 70 million active users.
Steven A. Stebbins, the Acting Inspector General for the Defence Department, is currently investigating Mr Hegseth’s use of Signal at the request of the Senate Armed Services Committee.
Three senior defence aides were fired last week over accusations of leaking stories to the media, including former spokesman John Ullyot, who penned a damning op-ed in POLITICO shortly after his departure, claiming the department descended into “chaos” under Mr Hegseth’s leadership.
Mr Hegseth and the White House have vehemently denied posting “war plans” or classified information on Signal.
