In a shocking security lapse, high-ranking officials within the Trump administration mistakenly included a prominent journalist in a private Signal chat where they were discussing classified plans regarding U.S. military operations in Yemen.
Among the officials involved in the chat were Vice President JD Vance, Defense Secretary Peter Hegseth, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, and Senator Marco Rubio. Other key figures such as Trump’s chief of staff Susie Wiles, senior adviser Stephen Miller, and Trump envoy Steve Witkoff also participated in the discussion.
The breach was first reported by Jeffrey Goldberg, editor of The Atlantic, who disclosed that he had been mistakenly added to a Signal chat labeled “Houthi PC Small Group.” Upon realizing that the group included 18 senior officials, Goldberg confirmed that the discussions involved real-time deliberations over military strategy in Yemen.
Goldberg removed sensitive details from his report, including the identity of a senior CIA officer and ongoing operational plans. However, the leaked messages contained striking exchanges about U.S. military actions and diplomatic concerns.
Brian Hughes, a spokesperson for the National Security Council, confirmed the authenticity of the messages, stating, “This appears to be an authentic message chain, and we are reviewing how an inadvertent number was added to the chain.” Hughes emphasized that “the ongoing success of the Houthi operation demonstrates that there were no threats to troops or national security.”
Despite assurances, the leak has raised serious concerns over the administration’s ability to handle classified intelligence securely. Notably, Defense Secretary Hegseth assured the group that their conversations were “100 percent OPSEC – operations security,” even as a journalist had access to their messages.
According to the leaked discussions, JD Vance appeared hesitant about immediate military action, questioning the urgency of the attack. Additionally, the officials debated how much the U.S. should demand from European allies in return for safeguarding global shipping lanes.
One particular exchange between Vance and Hegseth revealed their disdain for European reliance on U.S. military protection. Vance messaged Hegseth: “If you think we should do it, let’s go. I just hate bailing Europe out again.” Hegseth responded minutes later, agreeing: “I fully share your loathing of European freeloading. It’s PATHETIC. But Mike is correct, we are the only ones who can do this.”
The breach has drawn outrage from lawmakers and national security experts. Representative Pat Ryan, a Democratic member of the House Armed Services Committee and an Army veteran, called the situation “FUBAR – f***ed up beyond all recognition.” Ryan added, “If House Republicans won’t hold a hearing on how this happened IMMEDIATELY, I’ll do it my damn self.”
National security journalist Shane Harris weighed in, writing on BlueSky, “In 25 years of covering national security, I’ve never seen a story like this.”
Goldberg initially suspected the messages could be a foreign disinformation campaign but became convinced of their authenticity due to the language used and the fact that the discussed plan coincided with a real U.S. military strike on Yemen.
Following the attack, Trump’s National Security Adviser Michael Waltz updated the chat, celebrating the operation as an “amazing job.” Other officials, including Marco Rubio and Susie Wiles, joined in with congratulatory messages. Rubio wrote, “Good job, Pete, and your team!!” while Wiles added, “Kudos to all – most particularly those in theater and CENTCOM! Really great. God bless.”
This unprecedented security breach has put a spotlight on the Trump administration’s handling of classified communications and could lead to further scrutiny from Congress and intelligence officials.
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