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Attack target: Public Service ×
Trait: Transparency laws are weakened or unenforced ×
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Tier 1 carried by a primary record
Corroborated 2+ independent news desks
Every result is verified and democracy-related.
Open an event to see its evidence. Attack and trait tags link to their definitions
May 6, 2026 Pete Hegseth and Pentagon officials reported Iran war costs to Congress far below internal and outside estimates Corroborated Information, Memory and Manipulation
The discrepancy weakened democratic oversight by obscuring the fiscal burden of military action from lawmakers and the public.
Independently corroborated by4 independent news desks
Supporting reportingSurfacings — do not carry alone
Supporting reports
- Pentagon Understates Iran War Costs to Congress — Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Acting Comptroller Jules Hurst informed Congress that the Iran War had cost $25 billion in its first 60 days.
- Underreporting of Iran War Costs — Secretary of War Pete Hegseth informed Congress that the cost of the Iran War for the first 60 days was $25 billion.
Verified: Corroborated — 2+ independent news desks
Week 68 – 2026-05-02–2026-05-08
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Apr 16, 2026 OMB Director Russ Vought refused to disclose the cost of the Iran war during testimony Tier 1 · Primary Information, Memory and Manipulation
The refusal limited Congress and the public from assessing the financial burden of military action in real time.
Independently corroborated by4 independent news desks
Supporting reportingSurfacings — do not carry alone
Supporting reports
- OMB Director Refuses to Disclose Iran War Costs — OMB Director Russ Vought refused to disclose the costs of the Iran war during congressional testimony, despite being asked directly by Senator Merkley.
Verified: Tier 1 primary record
Week 65 – 2026-04-11–2026-04-17
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Sep 30, 2025 The National Archives inspector general opened an investigation into the release of Rep. Mikie Sherrill's records Corroborated Information, Memory and Manipulation
The probe raised concerns that sensitive records may have been disclosed in a politically selective way.
Independently corroborated by5 independent news desks
Supporting reportingSurfacings — do not carry alone
Supporting reports
- Investigation into Release of Rep. Sherrill's Records — The acting inspector general for the National Archives opened an investigation into the release of Rep.
Attacks
Verified: Corroborated — 2+ independent news desks
Week 37 – 2025-09-27–2025-10-03
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Apr 20, 2025 Pete Hegseth and other senior officials used Signal chats and unsecured systems for sensitive military discussions, prompting record-preservation and security concerns. Tier 1 · Primary Information, Memory and Manipulation
The use of private and insecure channels weakened public records, increased secrecy around official decisions, and exposed sensitive state information to loss or misuse.
Independently corroborated by5 independent news desks
Supporting reportingSurfacings — do not carry alone
Supporting reports
- Pete Hegseth shared Yemen attack details in private Signal chat — Pete Hegseth, the US Defense Secretary, reportedly shared detailed information about planned military strikes on Yemen in a private Signal group chat that included his family and personal associates.
- Allegations of Chaos at the Pentagon Under Hegseth — Former spokesman for Hegseth, John Ullyot, published an editorial claiming that the Department of Defense has been in "total chaos" since Hegseth's appointment, citing mass firings and leaks of sensitive operational
- New Signal Chat Group Created by SecDef Hegseth — Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth reportedly created a new Signal chat group called "Team Huddle" that included discussions on sensitive Department of Defense operations, including bombing targets in Yemen.
Attacks
Verified: Tier 1 primary record
Week 14 – 2025-04-19–2025-04-25
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Apr 2, 2025 Mike Waltz and his team used at least 20 Signal group chats for sensitive national-security work Tier 1 · Primary Information, Memory and Manipulation
The practice raised concerns about records preservation, transparency, and secure handling of official communications.
Independently corroborated by5 independent news desks
Reuters · Politico · The Hill · ABC News · The Dispatch
Supporting reportingSurfacings — do not carry alone
Supporting reports
- Mike Waltz's team used Signal for national security work — Mike Waltz, the national security adviser under Donald Trump, and his team reportedly set up at least 20 Signal group chats to coordinate sensitive national security work.
Verified: Tier 1 primary record
Week 11 – 2025-03-29–2025-04-04
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Mar 23, 2025 Jeffrey Goldberg and The Atlantic revealed that senior Trump officials discussed Yemen strike plans in a Signal group chat that included a journalist Tier 1 · Primary Information, Memory and Manipulation
The disclosure exposed severe information security failures and possible evasion of official records rules.
Independently corroborated by6 independent news desks
Supporting reportingSurfacings — do not carry alone
Supporting reports
- Military action planning revealed in Signal chat — An article in The Atlantic disclosed that a Signal chat group was used to plan missile attacks against the Houthis in Yemen by the Trump administration.
- Leak of Sensitive Military Plans in Signal Group Chat — On March 24, 2025, it was revealed that Pete Hegseth, the US defense secretary, along with other Trump administration officials, shared sensitive military attack plans in a Signal group chat.
- Jeffrey Goldberg Reveals Sensitive Military Chat Group — Jeffrey Goldberg, editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, disclosed that he was added to a chat group of senior Trump administration officials discussing sensitive military plans for strikes in Yemen.
Attacks
Verified: Tier 1 primary record
Week 10 – 2025-03-22–2025-03-28
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Feb 3, 2025 Senior OPM officials were blocked from key systems while Musk associates gained access Tier 1 · Primary Information, Memory and Manipulation
Restricting career oversight while expanding outside access reduced internal transparency over sensitive federal records.
Independently corroborated by4 independent news desks
Reuters · ABC News · NBC News · ProPublica
Supporting reportingSurfacings — do not carry alone
Supporting reports
- Senior civil servants blocked from accessing OPM systems — Senior civil servants at the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) have been blocked from accessing key systems, including the Enterprise Human Resources Integration (EHRI) system.
Verified: Tier 1 primary record
Week 3 – 2025-02-01–2025-02-07
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