Media Bias Fact Check (MBFC) publishes daily vetted fact checks from verified IFCN-approved sources. Each claim is independently reviewed for accuracy and context.
Claimant: Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth
Claim: The Pentagon inspector general report was a “total exoneration,” proving no classified information was shared and the “case is closed.”
Rating: FALSE
Explanation: FactCheck.org found the IG agreed Hegseth could declassify information, but the report documented that his messages: • created operational security risks • could have enabled adversaries to evade U.S. strikes • posed potential danger to U.S. pilots • violated policy by sharing sensitive details with an uncleared journalist • were sent over Signal on a personal phone and not preserved as required
The IG explicitly did not exonerate him.
Date: 12/09/2025
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Last Updated on December 9, 2025 by Media Bias Fact Check