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Top officials in the Trump administration inadvertently included a high-profile journalist in a private Signal group chat discussing classified U.S. military plans for airstrikes against Yemen, raising serious concerns over national security protocols.
Unprecedented Security Breach
Jeffrey Goldberg, editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, revealed in an article published Monday that he was mistakenly added to the chat, which included senior members of the White House’s national security team. Goldberg described the incident as an unprecedented security breach, stating, “I’ve never seen a breach quite like this.”
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt tacitly confirmed the story to CNN, asserting that President Donald Trump continued to have full confidence in his national security team, despite the controversy. “As President Trump said, the attacks on the Houthis have been highly successful and effective,” Leavitt said. “President Trump continues to have the utmost confidence in his national security team, including National Security Advisor Mike Waltz.”
What Exactly Happened
The security lapse has sparked outrage in Washington, with both Democratic and Republican lawmakers acknowledging the severity of the breach. Representative Pat Ryan, a Democrat from New York who serves on the Armed Services Committee, called for immediate action.
“If House Republicans won’t hold a hearing on how this happened IMMEDIATELY, I’ll do it my damn self,” Ryan wrote on social media.
Goldberg’s involvement in the Signal chat began on Tuesday, March 11, when he received a request to connect from an account labeled “Michael Waltz,” the same name as President Trump’s national security advisor. Two days later, on March 13, he was added to a group chat titled “Houthi PC small group.”
Exchange of Messages Concerning Yemen
The first message in the chat, attributed to Waltz, read: “Team – establishing a principles [sic] group for coordination on Houthis, particularly for over the next 72 hours. My deputy Alex Wong is pulling together a tiger team at deputies/agency Chief of Staff level following up from the meeting in the [Situation Room] this morning for action items and will be sending that out later this evening.”
Soon after, a user identified as “MAR” wrote, “Mike Needham for State.” Marco Antonio Rubio currently serves as Trump’s Secretary of State. Another participant, labeled “JD Vance,” identified who would represent the vice president, while another, using the initials “TG,” assigned Joe Kent as the representative for the Director of National Intelligence— a role currently held by former Hawaii Representative Tulsi Gabbard.
Further responses in the chat detailed representatives for the Treasury Department, National Security Council, and the CIA.
Classified Military Strategy to Bomb Yemen Discussed in Chat
According to Goldberg, the chat escalated into a full discussion on military operations against Houthi targets in Yemen. The officials debated the timing and implications of launching strikes, with Vice President Vance expressing reservations about the plan.
“I think we’re making a mistake,” the individual identified as Vance reportedly wrote. “Not sure Trump is aware how inconsistent this is with his message on Europe right now.”
Although Vance ultimately stated he was “willing to support the consensus of the team” and remain silent on his concerns, he suggested delaying the strikes by a month to allow for proper messaging and economic assessments. However, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth opposed any delay, arguing that it would not “fundamentally change the calculus.”
Hegseth warned that postponing the operation could increase the risk of information leaking, making the administration appear “indecisive.” “We are prepared to execute, and if I had final go or no-go vote, I believe we should,” he wrote. “This is not about the Houthis. I see it as two things: 1) Restoring Freedom of Navigation, a core national interest; and 2) Reestablishing deterrence, which [former President Joe Biden] cratered.”
Despite his strong stance, Hegseth acknowledged that a delay was possible. “But, we can easily pause. And if we do, I will do all we can to enforce 100% [operations security].”
Leaked Yemen Strike Plans and Immediate Consequences
On Friday, March 15, at 11:44 a.m. ET, Hegseth sent a “team update” outlining classified operational details about the forthcoming airstrikes. The message reportedly contained specifics on target locations, the types of weapons to be deployed, and the sequencing of the attack.
Just over two hours later, at 1:45 p.m. ET, the first explosions were heard in Yemen, aligning with the timeline laid out in the Signal chat. Ten minutes later, at 1:55 p.m. ET, Goldberg observed social media posts reporting blasts in the Yemeni capital of Sanaa.
The incident has raised serious concerns about the Trump administration’s handling of sensitive information and the broader implications for national security. While it also remains unclear how Goldberg was mistakenly added to the chat.
Also Read: Trump’s National Security Team Embarrassed After Accidentally Adding Journalist To Secret Chat
