The Trump administration is under scrutiny following an accidental disclosure of sensitive military plans to a journalist via the encrypted messaging app Signal.
National Security Adviser Michael Waltz mistakenly included Jeffrey Goldberg, editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, in a Signal group chat where senior officials were discussing airstrikes on Houthi targets in Yemen. Participants in the chat reportedly included Vice President JD Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard.
The White House confirmed the messages’ authenticity while asserting that no classified information was disclosed. National Security Council spokesperson Brian Hughes acknowledged the thread “appears to be authentic” and mentioned they are “reviewing how an inadvertent number was added to the chain,” according to a statement provided to multiple news organizations.
Goldberg reported that Hegseth shared operational details about the upcoming strikes about two hours before they were executed on March 15. The shared information allegedly included specifics about targets, weaponry, and attack sequencing.
“Nobody was texting war plans, and that’s all I have to say about that,” Hegseth told reporters, condemning Goldberg as a “deceitful and highly discredited, so-called journalist.”
President Trump initially claimed ignorance of the situation, stating, “I don’t know anything about it. I’m not a big fan of The Atlantic.” He later acknowledged Waltz had “claimed responsibility” for the error but maintained “there was no classified information” shared.
The administration’s handling has faced criticism not only from Democrats but also from some conservatives. Right-wing commentator Tomi Lahren criticized the administration’s response on social media, writing, “Trying to wordsmith the hell outta this signal debacle is making it worse. It was bad. And I’m honestly getting sick of the whatabout isms from my own side. What’s good for the goose is good for the gander. Admit the F up and move on.”
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer called the incident “one of the most stunning breaches of military intelligence I have read about in a very, very long time” and demanded a full investigation. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries described it as “yet another unprecedented example that our nation is increasingly more dangerous because of the elevation of reckless and mediocre individuals.”
National security experts have raised concerns about the breach. Former Defense Secretary and CIA Director Leon Panetta told CNN, “Somebody needs to get fired,” noting that a different recipient “could reveal this information immediately to the Houthis in Yemen that they were about to be attacked.”
Kevin Carroll, a lawyer specializing in national security cases and former CIA officer, suggested the incident could potentially violate federal laws on handling secret information. “I have defended service members accused of violating the Espionage Act through gross negligence for far, far less,” Carroll said.
Far-right Georgia Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene declined to answer questions about the leak when approached by media on Wednesday. Upon learning the reporter was from the U.K., Greene diverted to other topics, avoiding the issue entirely.
Waltz has since taken “full responsibility” for the situation, according to reports, though the White House continues to defend the discussion’s content as “a demonstration of the deep and thoughtful policy coordination between senior officials.”
On Wednesday, a federal lawsuit was filed against five Cabinet members over the administration’s use of Signal, asking a federal judge to declare the use of the app unlawful and order the officials to preserve records immediately.
The controversy intensified when it emerged that Hegseth’s office had recently announced a crackdown on leaks of sensitive information, including the potential use of polygraphs on defense personnel. Critics have noted this apparent double standard, pointing out that some of the same officials involved in the Signal chat had previously criticized similar security breaches.
The incident occurs amid ongoing U.S. military operations against Houthi rebels in Yemen, who have been targeting commercial shipping in the Red Sea. President Trump began a campaign of large-scale military strikes against the Houthis on March 15, warning Iran, the Houthis’ primary backer, to halt support for the group.
Goldberg, in interviews following the publication of his article, has countered the administration’s characterization of events. He told PBS that while he initially thought the chat might be a hoax, he became convinced of its authenticity when the strikes on Yemen started at the time specified in the messages.
