The Trump administration is under scrutiny after sensitive military plans were unintentionally shared with a journalist via the encrypted messaging app Signal. This incident involved high-ranking officials and has sparked widespread criticism.
National Security Adviser Michael Waltz mistakenly included Jeffrey Goldberg, editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, in a Signal group chat. The chat, which discussed airstrikes on Houthi targets in Yemen, reportedly involved senior officials such as 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 has confirmed the messages are genuine but insists that no classified information was disclosed. National Security Council spokesperson Brian Hughes stated the thread “appears to be authentic” and mentioned they are “reviewing how an inadvertent number was added to the chain,” according to a statement from multiple news organizations.
Goldberg reported that Hegseth shared operational details about upcoming strikes two hours before they occurred on March 15, 2025. The shared information included specifics about targets, weapons, and attack sequencing.
“Nobody was texting war plans, and that’s all I have to say about that,” Hegseth told reporters, criticizing 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.” Later, he acknowledged Waltz’s “claimed responsibility” but maintained that “there was no classified information” shared.
The administration’s response has drawn criticism from both Democrats and some conservatives. Right-wing commentator Tomi Lahren criticized the administration’s handling 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 labeled the incident “one of the most stunning breaches of military intelligence I have read about in a very, very long time” and called for 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 voiced concerns over 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 might 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 address the leak when Sky News asked her about it. Upon learning the reporter was from the U.K., Greene diverted the conversation.
According to reports, Waltz has since taken “full responsibility” for the error, though the White House continues to defend the discussion’s content as “a demonstration of the deep and thoughtful policy coordination between senior officials.”
A federal lawsuit was filed against five Cabinet members over the administration’s use of Signal. The lawsuit seeks a ruling to declare the app’s use unlawful and to mandate the preservation of records.
The controversy intensified with the revelation that Hegseth’s office had recently announced a crackdown on leaks of sensitive information, including potential polygraph use on defense personnel. Critics have noted the apparent double standard, as some officials involved in the Signal chat had previously criticized similar security breaches.
This incident occurred amid ongoing U.S. military operations against Houthi rebels in Yemen, who have been targeting commercial shipping in the Red Sea. President Trump started a campaign of large-scale military strikes against the Houthis on March 15, warning Iran, the Houthis’ primary supporter, to cease backing the group.
In interviews following the publication of his article, Goldberg has challenged the administration’s portrayal of events. He told PBS that while he initially suspected the chat might be a hoax, he became convinced of its authenticity when the strikes on Yemen began at the specified time in the messages.
