Pentagon, White House in Turmoil After Journalist Added to Chat on Yemen Airstrikes
A major national security lapse occurred when Jeffrey Goldberg, editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, was mistakenly added to an encrypted Signal chat in which senior members of the Trump administration discussed upcoming US airstrikes on Yemen. The group chat, which included messages from officials identifying as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, national security adviser Michael Waltz, Vice President JD Vance, and others, revealed details about timing, targets, and strategy—information that appeared to match the real-world operation carried out by US forces on March 15.
The chat, titled “Houthi PC small group,” unfolded over several days, with Goldberg saying he received access to the conversation on March 13. He later watched from a supermarket parking lot as the military strikes took place precisely when the group had predicted. “That sent a chill down my spine,” Goldberg said, describing the moment war plans turned into action.
The National Security Council confirmed the authenticity of the chat, calling it a mistake. Spokesman Brian Hughes stated, “We are reviewing how an inadvertent number was added to the chain.” He added that the thread demonstrated “deep and thoughtful policy coordination” and insisted no threats to national security emerged from the leak.
But many lawmakers—Democrats and Republicans alike—saw it differently. Representative Chris Deluzio (D-Pa.) called the incident “an outrageous national security breach,” while Representative Sara Jacobs (D-Calif.) said people “should be fired for this.” Senator Jack Reed (D-R.I.) described it as “one of the most egregious failures of operational security and common sense I have ever seen.”
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The conversation took place on Signal, a messaging app that the Department of Defense has explicitly warned against using for sensitive communications unless special authorization is granted. A 2023 memorandum labeled Signal an “unmanaged messaging app,” alongside iMessage and WhatsApp.
Waltz reportedly responded to news of the airstrikes with three emojis: a fist, an American flag, and fire. Hegseth allegedly posted operational details of the strikes, while Vance objected to the timing and European implications of the mission. “I just hate bailing Europe out again,” Vance wrote, to which Hegseth replied, “I fully share your loathing of European free-loading. It’s PATHETIC.”
The airstrikes, which the Houthis said killed 53 people, including five children, came in response to attacks on Red Sea shipping. President Donald Trump praised the operation as “decisive and powerful,” though he denied knowing about the Signal leak when asked.
Critics were quick to point out the hypocrisy, referencing past Republican attacks on Hillary Clinton for her use of a private email server. Clinton herself shared the article with the caption, “You have got to be kidding me.”
While some officials have called for criminal investigations or firings, others like House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) dismissed the controversy, saying, “They’ll tighten up and make sure it doesn’t happen again.”
Whether the breach leads to lasting consequences remains unclear, but the episode has drawn new attention to how America’s most sensitive decisions are being discussed—and potentially exposed.
