Top national security officials in former U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, mistakenly shared highly sensitive military plans for upcoming strikes in Yemen through a Signal group chat that included Jeffrey Goldberg, editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, according to a report published Monday. The National Security Council confirmed that the text chain “appears to be authentic.”
Trump initially denied knowledge of the incident, claiming he was unaware that classified information had been shared, but two and a half hours later, he appeared to joke about the breach. The leaked messages reportedly contained details about military operations against Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen, including target locations, weapons deployment, and the sequence of attacks.
While it remains unclear whether the information was officially classified, such details are typically secured to protect military personnel and operational security. The U.S. has been conducting airstrikes on Houthi targets since the group began attacking military and commercial vessels in the Red Sea in November 2023. The report states that within two hours of Goldberg receiving the message on March 15, the U.S. launched a series of airstrikes on Houthi positions.
The National Security Council is now investigating how Goldberg’s number was added to the Signal chat, which included high-ranking officials such as Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard. According to Goldberg, he received an invitation to join the chat from Mike Waltz, Trump’s national security adviser.
Hegseth, when questioned about the situation, attacked Goldberg, calling him a “deceitful” journalist and criticizing The Atlantic for its previous coverage of Trump. However, he did not explain why Signal was used to discuss sensitive military operations or how Goldberg ended up in the conversation. “Nobody was texting war plans, and that’s all I have to say about that,” Hegseth told reporters while in Hawaii for his first trip to the Indo-Pacific as defense secretary.
Despite the controversy, White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt stated that Trump still has “utmost confidence” in Waltz and his national security team. Earlier on Monday, Trump dismissed the allegations, stating, “I don’t know anything about it. You’re telling me about it for the first time.” Later that evening, he appeared to make light of the situation by amplifying a social media post from Elon Musk that mocked The Atlantic’s readership, suggesting that leaking information to the publication ensured “no one would ever see it.”
Signal, an encrypted messaging app, is often used by government officials for security purposes but is not classified and remains vulnerable to breaches. The leak comes as Hegseth’s office recently announced a crackdown on unauthorized disclosures of classified information, including potential polygraph testing for defense personnel.
The exposure of sensitive information has drawn immediate criticism, particularly from Democratic lawmakers. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer called for a full-scale investigation, stating, “This is one of the most stunning breaches of military intelligence I have read about in a very, very long time.” Senate Armed Services Committee Chair Jack Reed echoed those concerns, calling the leak a “stunning and dangerous” failure of operational security, adding, “American lives are on the line.”
House Intelligence Committee ranking member Jim Himes expressed outrage, stating that if a lower-ranking official had done this, they would likely face the loss of security clearance and possible criminal investigation. Some Republicans also voiced concerns, with Senate Armed Services Committee ranking member Roger Wicker stating that the issue would be reviewed on a bipartisan basis. However, Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson downplayed the incident, arguing that those involved were simply trying to do their jobs and that the mission was executed successfully.
The handling of national security information is strictly regulated under the Espionage Act, which makes it a crime to remove such information from its proper place of custody, even through negligence. The situation draws parallels to past cases, including the FBI’s investigation into Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server for classified correspondence, which ultimately did not lead to charges.
In previous administrations, Signal was used for limited communication about scheduling sensitive meetings or directing officials to classified messages in secure systems. However, the Biden administration reportedly implemented stricter controls, with top officials avoiding the use of Signal for sensitive discussions.
Hegseth, a former Fox News host, has faced particularly harsh criticism over the incident. Senator Tammy Duckworth, a veteran of the Iraq War, called him “the most unqualified Secretary of Defense in history” and accused him of incompetence in handling classified war plans.
Beyond the security breach, the leak also exposed internal debate within Trump’s administration over the Yemen operation. Vice President JD Vance questioned whether Americans would support a strike that could cause a spike in oil prices, suggesting a delay for economic reasons. He also noted that Europe would benefit more than the U.S. from securing Red Sea trade routes, prompting a response from Hegseth, who criticized European “freeloading” but ultimately supported the attack.
Vance’s office later downplayed the exchange, stating that he “unequivocally supports this administration’s foreign policy.” The fallout from the leak is likely to continue as congressional investigations gain traction.
Source: Swifteradio.com
