Trump's Yemen Strike Plans Leaked to Journalist in Signal Chat Mishap
A journalist was inadvertently added to a Signal chat group of senior Trump administration officials discussing a forthcoming military strike on the Houthis in Yemen, revealing a potential national security breach.
In a startling incident of national security oversight, Jeffrey Goldberg, editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, found himself part of a confidential Signal chat group named ‘Houthi PC Small Group.’ The group, consisting of high-profile Trump administration officials including Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and National Security Advisor Michael Waltz, was discussing plans for an imminent attack on the Houthis, an Iran-backed group in Yemen known for disrupting maritime traffic in the Red Sea and the Suez Canal.
Goldberg detailed in The Atlantic how he received a connection request on March 11 from what he believed to be Waltz. Upon accepting, he was added to the chat where he witnessed discussions about the timing and operational concerns of the planned strikes. The discussions included skepticism from Vance about the necessity of the strikes, and supportive yet cautious inputs from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who later shared sensitive operational details in the chat.
The breach came to light when Goldberg, initially skeptical of the group’s authenticity, confirmed the reality of the discussions when explosions were reported in Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, exactly as predicted in the chat. The U.S. military subsequently confirmed the strikes, which targeted Houthi drone, missile, and air defense systems, described by Waltz as an ‘overwhelming response.’
The incident has raised serious questions about the security of using non-secure communication channels like Signal for sensitive military discussions. A National Security Council spokesperson, Brian Hughes, acknowledged the breach, stating they were reviewing how Goldberg was inadvertently added to the chain but emphasized the success of the operation and no threat to national security.
President Trump, when questioned about the incident, expressed ignorance and dismissed The Atlantic’s involvement, stating his lack of regard for the magazine. However, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt reiterated Trump’s confidence in his national security team and the effectiveness of the Yemen operations.
This incident underscores the precarious balance between operational security and communication in modern warfare, highlighting the potential risks of using digital platforms for sensitive government discussions.