March 24 (UPI) — A journalist was inadvertently put in a Signal group chat in which top Trump administration officials went over details of U.S. attacks in Yemen against Houthi rebels, it was confirmed Monday.
It was reported that Jeffrey Goldberg, editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, had been included in a group chat on the texting platform Signal in which top Trump administration officials went over the details of pending attacks against Houthi rebels in Yemen hours before it took place.
Goldberg wrote that the initial group invite on March 11 came from national security adviser Mike Waltz in a chat also including U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, CIA Director John Ratcliffe and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard.
Two days later Goldberg was stunningly invited to join a chain titled “Houthi PC small group.”
He said Hegseth reportedly sent specific details to the group that outlined weaponry, targets and timing of the attack two hours ahead on March 15.
Goldberg had initial doubts of its authenticity “because I could not believe that the national-security leadership of the United States would communicate on Signal about imminent war plans.”
No person in the chat apparently knew a reporter was was attached and watching, and Goldberg said that he “could not believe that the national security adviser to the president would be so reckless as to include him in the discussions with senior U.S. officials.”
The National Security Council, meanwhile, confirmed its authenticity.
“This appears to be an authentic message chain, and we are reviewing how an inadvertent number was added to the chain,” stated NSC spokesman Brian Hughes. “The thread is a demonstration of the deep and thoughtful policy coordination between senior officials. The ongoing success of the Houthi operation demonstrates that there were no threats to troops or national security,” he added.
The chat highlighted apparent disagreements over foreign policy between Trump and Vance.
“I think we are making a mistake,” the vice president told the group while traveling to Michigan, but later said he was “willing to support the consensus of the team and keep these concerns to myself.”
“There is a real risk that the public doesn’t understand this or why it’s necessary. The strongest reason to do this is, as POTUS said, to send a message,” said Vance, adding he was “not sure” if Trump was “aware how inconsistent this is with his message on Europe right now,” arguing that strikes could risk higher oil prices.
On Monday, Trump claimed in the Oval Office that he had no knowledge of the incident. “You’re telling me about it for the first time,” the president told a reporter.
Hegseth and Vance spoke of their dislike of perceived European “free-loading.”
“I fully share your loathing of European free-loading. It’s PATHETIC,” Hegseth responded to Vance. “But Mike is correct, we are the only ones on the planet (on our side of the ledger) who can do this. Nobody else even close. Question is timing. I feel like now is as good a time as any, given. POTUS directive to reopen shipping lanes. I think we should go; but POTUS still retains 24 hours of decision space.”
Many lawmakers were quick to point out the massive security lapse and possible mishandling of classified U.S. military information.
“Only one word for this: FUBAR,” Rep. Pat Ryan, D-N.Y., an Army veteran sitting on the House Armed Services Committee, wrote on social media. “If House Republicans won’t hold a hearing on how this happened IMMEDIATELY, I’ll do it my damn self.”
Virginia’s Sen. Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the Senate’s intelligence committee, wrote on X that the Trump administration is “playing fast and loose with our nation’s most classified info, and it makes all Americans less safe.”