In a startling security breach, a U.S. journalist was inadvertently included in a confidential group chat where top officials discussed upcoming military strikes against Yemen’s Houthi rebels. Jeffrey Goldberg, editor-in-chief of The Atlantic magazine, revealed that he received detailed information about the strikes via a Signal group chat that included Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Vice President JD Vance, and other senior officials.
“The message thread appears to be authentic, and we are reviewing how an inadvertent number was added to the chain,” said National Security Council spokesman Brian Hughes on Monday.
President Donald Trump announced the strikes on March 15, yet Goldberg had received hours of advance notice. The information shared included specifics on targets, weapons to be deployed, and the sequence of attacks. According to Goldberg, the first detonations in Yemen occurred precisely at 1:45 pm Eastern Time, matching the timeline discussed in the messages.
Despite the breach, the White House stated that President Trump “continues to have the utmost confidence in his national security team.” When questioned, Defense Secretary Hegseth denied responsibility and downplayed the severity of the leak, insisting that “nobody was texting war plans,” even as the White House confirmed the incident.
Democratic leaders expressed outrage over the security lapse. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called it “one of the most stunning breaches of military intelligence I have read about in a very, very long time” and demanded a full investigation. Senator Jack Reed criticized the “carelessness” displayed by the administration.
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who faced scrutiny over her use of a private email server, shared the Atlantic article on social media with the comment, “You have got to be kidding me.”
The breach raises serious concerns about the handling of sensitive information at the highest levels of government and highlights the potential risks of using commercial messaging apps for classified communications.
