In an unprecedented security lapse, the White House mistakenly added The Atlantic’s Editor-in-Chief, Jeffrey Goldberg, to a confidential Signal chat group, where top U.S. officials discussed military strikes on Yemen’s Houthis. The revelation has sparked national security concerns and calls for a congressional investigation.
How the Leak Happened
On March 13, U.S. national security officials unexpectedly invited The Atlantic’s Editor-in-Chief, Jeffrey Goldberg, to an encrypted Signal chat group named “Houthi PC small group.” In this space, Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth coordinated an imminent military strike.
Revealing the War Plans
Goldberg disclosed that on March 15, hours before the airstrikes, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth posted sensitive operational details in the group chat. The leaked information allegedly included:
- Target locations in Yemen
- Weapons the U.S. planned to deploy
- Precise attack sequencing
Though Goldberg refrained from publishing exact details, he slammed the incident as a “shockingly reckless” misuse of an unsecured communication platform.
White House’s Denial and Chaos
Hegseth swiftly denied the allegations, stating: “Nobody was texting war plans, and that’s all I have to say about that.” However, Goldberg directly refuted this on CNN, saying: “No, that’s a lie. He was texting war plans.”
Leaked chat screenshots further exposed an internal debate among top officials, questioning the necessity of the strikes and their impact on European allies. Vice President JD Vance reportedly hesitated, stating, “I just hate bailing Europe out again,” while Hegseth replied, “I fully share your loathing of European free-loading. It’s PATHETIC.”
Trump’s Response: “I Don’t Know Anything About It”
When asked about the leak, President Donald Trump dismissed the issue, saying, “I don’t know anything about it. I’m not a big fan of The Atlantic.”
Meanwhile, a White House official confirmed that an internal investigation is underway and that Trump has been briefed on the incident.
National Security Nightmare: What Rules Were Violated?
The accidental inclusion of a journalist in a sensitive military discussion may have violated multiple federal laws, including:
- Sharing classified military information on unsecured platforms
- Compromising U.S. national security
- Failing to maintain government record-keeping protocols
Despite this, National Security Council spokesperson Brian Hughes downplayed the risks, stating that “the message thread appears to be authentic,” but assured that there were no threats to U.S. service members or operations.
Interesting Read
A Grave Security Mistake or Political Fallout?
This shocking security oversight raises critical questions about the Trump administration’s handling of classified information. As investigations unfold, the White House faces mounting pressure to hold officials accountable and reinforce security measures to prevent such blunders in the future.
