The Pentagon pointed to the IG's conclusion that Hegseth had the authority to declassify the strike information as an exoneration.
Four special operations soldiers died when the MH-60 Black Hawk helicopter they were aboard crashed near JBLM earlier this week, officials said.
An F-15E Strike Eagle that took off from Diego Garcia on Monday discovered mid-flight that one of its wheels was missing.
The two airmen flying the fighter were uninjured in the emergency landing.
