In a rare security breach, a senior journalist from The Atlantic was accidentally added to a private Signal group where top Trump administration officials were discussing imminent U.S. military strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen.
The incident, first revealed by The Atlantic’s editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg, has since been confirmed by the White House and has sparked calls for a formal investigation.
Goldberg described the moment he realized he had been pulled into a chat group titled “Houthi PC small group,” alongside names that appeared to include Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Vice President JD Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and National Security Adviser Mike Waltz.
“I, however, knew two hours before the first bombs exploded that the attack might be coming,” Goldberg wrote, recounting how Waltz had contacted him via Signal.
Trump: ‘I Don’t Know Anything About It’
At a press event in Louisiana, President Donald Trump claimed ignorance of the breach.
“I don’t know anything about it. You’re telling me about it for the first time,” he told reporters.
“I’m not a big fan of The Atlantic. To me, it’s a magazine that’s going out of business.”
Despite brushing off the leak, Trump appeared to conflate the incident with intentional sabotage, stating,
“It couldn’t have been very effective because the attack was very effective.”
Inside the Chat: Real-Time Debate Over Airstrikes
Goldberg’s access gave him an unexpected look at the real-time deliberations and disagreements among some of the most powerful people in the Trump administration.
One key exchange included Vice President Vance, who questioned whether attacking the Houthis would mostly benefit European trade interests, and called for a delay in order to “do the messaging work.”
Defense Secretary Hegseth pushed back:
“Immediate risks on waiting: 1) this leaks, and we look indecisive; 2) Israel takes an action first... and we don’t get to start this on our own terms.”
Another official, assumed to be Stephen Miller (referenced as “SM”), insisted the president had already authorized the strike.
“The president was clear: green light, but we soon make clear to Egypt and Europe what we expect in return.”
After the strikes were executed, members of the chat reportedly celebrated with flag emojis, flames, and flexing biceps.
Security and Legal Concerns Mount
Though encrypted apps like Signal are frequently used for secure communication, Goldberg noted the chat’s use for sensitive operational planning was unprecedented—and potentially illegal.
“Had they lost their phones, or had they been stolen, the potential risk to national security would have been severe,” Goldberg wrote.
He also raised concerns about violations of federal records law, as the chat messages were set to auto-delete, potentially erasing evidence of official acts.
“The group was transmitting information to someone not authorized to receive it. That is the classic definition of a leak.”
The National Security Council confirmed the authenticity of the Signal thread, stating in a press release:
“We are reviewing how an inadvertent number was added to the chain. The thread is a demonstration of deep and thoughtful policy coordination between senior officials.”
Congressional Oversight Demands Grow
The revelation has already prompted Democratic Senator Chris Coons to call for an immediate investigation.
“If senior advisors to President Trump in fact used non-secure, non-government systems to convey detailed war plans, it’s a shocking breach,” Coons wrote on social media.
While no operational details were disclosed publicly by Goldberg, the timing and content of the chats appeared to match real-time developments in Yemen—including the March 15 U.S. strikes on Houthi targets, just hours after the chat concluded.
As scrutiny intensifies, legal questions swirl around Waltz, who allegedly initiated the connection with Goldberg. Whether accidental or not, it may constitute a serious breach of classified information protocols.
