In a shocking security breach, the White House has confirmed that a journalist was mistakenly included in a private group chat where top U.S. officials discussed upcoming military strikes against Yemen’s Huthi rebels.
The revelation was made on Monday after The Atlantic’s editor-in-chief, Jeffrey Goldberg, disclosed that he had received sensitive details of the operation through a Signal chat group involving Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Vice President JD Vance, and other top officials.
Leaked War Plans Expose Major Security Flaw
President Donald Trump announced the military strikes on March 15, but Goldberg revealed that he had received hours of advance notice, including details on targets, weapons, and attack sequencing.
National Security Council spokesman Brian Hughes confirmed the leak, stating:
“The message thread that was reported appears to be authentic, and we are reviewing how an inadvertent number was added to the chain.”
Trump Denies Knowledge of Leak
When asked about the situation, President Trump distanced himself from the controversy, saying:
“I don’t know anything about it. You’re telling me about it for the first time. But the attack was very effective.”
While the leak could have been disastrous if Goldberg had revealed the information earlier, he chose not to publish the details until after the strikes had already taken place.
Officials Debated Military Action in the Leaked Chat
Goldberg’s report reveals that top officials debated whether to proceed with the strikes.
On March 14, an individual identified as Vance expressed skepticism, saying he disliked “bailing Europe out again”, implying that the Huthi attacks affected European interests more than the U.S.
Other officials, including National Security Advisor Mike Waltz and Defense Secretary Hegseth, justified the strikes, emphasizing that only Washington had the military capability to respond.
A user identified as “S M”—possibly Trump adviser Stephen Miller—suggested that the U.S. should demand economic benefits in return for securing global trade routes.
Democratic Lawmakers Outraged, Call It a Crime
The security breach has sparked outrage among Democratic lawmakers, with Senator Chris Coons posting on X (formerly Twitter):
“Every single one of the government officials on this text chain have now committed a crime.”
Huthi Rebels and U.S. Military Response
The Huthi rebels, who control much of Yemen, are aligned with Iran and have launched numerous drone and missile attacks on Red Sea shipping lanes.
Their actions have crippled global trade, forcing many ships to take longer and more expensive routes around Africa.
In response, the U.S. military, under both Trump and Biden’s administrations, has launched multiple airstrikes against Huthi targets.
Trump recently vowed to continue using “overwhelming lethal force” until U.S. objectives are met.
Security Concerns Mount Amid Growing Tensions
With sensitive war plans now exposed in a public leak, concerns are growing over the security of U.S. military operations.
The Pentagon is now investigating how such a critical mistake was made.
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