Trump administration officials accidentally shared classified military plans on Signal, including an Atlantic editor in their chat about Yemen airstrikes just hours before the operation.
Quick Takes
- Senior Trump officials, including VP Vance and Defense Secretary Hegseth, mistakenly included journalist Jeffrey Goldberg in a Signal group chat discussing classified Yemen strike plans.
- The chat contained sensitive details about weapons, targets, and timing two hours before the March 15 attack.
- Both Democrats and Republicans have expressed outrage, with calls for investigations and possible violations of the Espionage Act.
- The White House confirmed the leak was “inadvertent,” but the incident raises serious questions about operational security protocols.
- The breach has sparked bipartisan concern over the use of commercial apps for sharing classified military information.
Major Security Breach Exposes Military Planning
A shocking security breach has rocked the Trump administration after high-ranking officials accidentally added Jeffrey Goldberg, editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, to an encrypted Signal group chat discussing classified details of planned airstrikes against Houthi targets in Yemen. The group included Vice President JD Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and other senior officials who shared specific information about weapons, targets, and timing just two hours before the March 15 operation began. The White House has confirmed the messages were authentic, describing the inclusion of Goldberg as an “inadvertent” error.
The highly sensitive discussion took place on Signal, an encrypted messaging app with auto-delete functions, raising additional concerns about federal record-keeping laws. National security experts have expressed alarm over the decision to use commercial applications for sharing war plans rather than secure government channels designed specifically for classified communications. The breach represents one of the most significant operational security failures in recent memory, potentially compromising military operations and giving adversaries insight into US military planning processes.
Bipartisan Outrage and Calls for Investigation
The revelation has triggered fierce criticism from both sides of the political aisle. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and other Democratic lawmakers have called for a full congressional investigation into how such a breach could occur. Republicans, including Senator John Cornyn, have also expressed deep concern about the administration’s handling of classified information.
Senator Elizabeth Warren has been particularly vocal, describing the administration’s handling of national security information as “blatantly illegal and dangerous.” Some lawmakers have even called for the resignation of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth for his role in the breach. While Speaker Mike Johnson and some Republicans have resisted calls for additional probes, the seriousness of the incident may make an investigation inevitable.
Legal and National Security Implications
The consequences of this security breach could be far-reaching, with legal experts suggesting potential violations of the Espionage Act and other laws protecting classified information. The National Security Council has attempted to defend the chat as a demonstration of policy coordination, but this explanation has done little to quell concerns. Former national security officials have expressed shock that war plans would be shared through a commercial application rather than through established secure channels specifically designed for classified communications.
The incident also raises critical questions about operational security protocols within the administration. Using Signal’s auto-delete function may have violated federal record-keeping requirements that mandate the preservation of government communications. National security experts have emphasized that classified information should never be shared on unsecured channels or with unauthorized individuals, regardless of the encryption level claimed by commercial applications. The breach serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing challenges in balancing modern communication methods with the strict requirements of protecting national security information.
Sources:
- Lawmakers Scurry to Protect Secret War Plan Talks
- Washington grapples with fallout from war plans leak
- Outrage after White House accidentally texts journalist war plans: ‘Huge screw-up’
