Top Trump administration officials mistakenly disclosed U.S. war plans in a Signal messaging group that included a journalist from The Atlantic, the White House confirmed Monday.
The revelation, first reported by The Atlantic, has sparked outrage among Democratic lawmakers, who called it a breach of national security and demanded a congressional investigation, reports Reuters.
On March 13, The Atlantic’s editor-in-chief, Jeffrey Goldberg, was unexpectedly added to an encrypted chat group named "Houthi PC small group." In the group, National Security Adviser Mike Waltz instructed his deputy, Alex Wong, to form a "tiger team" to coordinate U.S. action against Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis.
Two days later, on March 15, the U.S. launched large-scale military strikes against the Houthis in response to their attacks on Red Sea shipping.
However, before the strikes began, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reportedly posted operational details in the chat, including target information, weapon deployment, and attack sequencing. Goldberg, who described it as a “shockingly reckless” use of Signal, withheld these specifics in his report.
The chat also included accounts linked to Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, and other top officials.
Trump’s nominee for National Counterterrorism Center director, Joe Kent, was also reportedly in the group, despite not yet being confirmed by the Senate.
Trump claimed he was unaware of the incident, though a White House official later confirmed an investigation was underway.
National Security Council spokesperson Brian Hughes stated the chat appeared authentic and was under review. Hegseth denied sharing war plans, but Goldberg countered on CNN, saying, “No, that’s a lie. He was texting war plans.”
Screenshots from The Atlantic revealed discussions about the timing of the strikes and whether the U.S. should intervene. Vance reportedly questioned why the U.S. should help Europe, labeling them "free-loaders," to which Hegseth agreed, calling it "PATHETIC."
Democratic leaders, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Senator Elizabeth Warren, condemned the use of Signal for discussing classified operations. Some suggested officials on the chat may have violated federal record-keeping and national security laws. However, the White House has not indicated any staffing changes, maintaining Trump’s confidence in his national security team.
Bd-pratidin English/FNC
