In a staggering breach of national security protocol, senior members of former President Donald Trump’s administration inadvertently added a prominent journalist to a private Signal group chat where they discussed confidential military plans for U.S. strikes in Yemen. The incident, first reported by The Atlantic, unfolded in early March and has sent shockwaves through political and defense circles.
Jeffrey Goldberg, Editor-in-Chief of The Atlantic, revealed in a bombshell article titled “The Trump Administration Accidentally Texted Me Its War Plans,” that he was mistakenly added to a Signal chat titled “Houthi PC small group.” The chat reportedly included high-ranking officials such as National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Pete Hegseth, and others directly involved in the Trump administration’s national security apparatus.
According to Goldberg, the group was actively deliberating on whether and how the U.S. should conduct a military operation against Houthi targets in Yemen. These discussions occurred just days before the eventual U.S. airstrikes began on March 15, which involved coordinated efforts by the Navy and Air Force targeting Houthi positions believed to be threatening commercial shipping in the Red Sea.
Goldberg was first contacted via Signal by Waltz on March 11, and shortly thereafter was added to the group. Over a two-day span, Goldberg observed top-level administration officials engage in blunt and often politically charged conversations about the costs, risks, and motivations behind launching the strikes. He chose not to quote some of the messages directly, citing their inclusion of top-secret operational details that, if leaked to adversaries, could have jeopardized American personnel and intelligence operations.
One notable message from Vice President JD Vance, timestamped at 8:45 AM, read: “@Pete Hegseth if you think we should do it let’s go. I just hate bailing Europe out again.” This was followed by a more strategic note: “Let’s just make sure our messaging is tight here. And if there are things we can do upfront to minimize risk to Saudi oil facilities we should do it.”
In a response, Secretary of State Pete Hegseth expressed agreement, stating, “VP: I fully share your loathing of European free-loading. It’s PATHETIC.” He emphasized urgency, citing a presidential directive to reopen shipping lanes and adding that “POTUS still retains 24 hours of decision space.”
By March 15—just two hours before the strikes were launched—Hegseth reportedly posted a “TEAM UPDATE” message containing highly sensitive operational information, including targeting details, weapon systems involved, and attack sequencing. Goldberg refrained from quoting this section directly, highlighting the potential threat to national security if such information had fallen into hostile hands.
In response to Goldberg’s inquiries, National Security Council spokesman Brian Hughes confirmed the authenticity of the message chain, stating: “This appears to be an authentic message chain, and we are reviewing how an inadvertent number was added to the chain. 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.”
While the administration appears to be downplaying the severity of the breach, national security experts have reacted with alarm. The idea that high-level officials were discussing war plans—including specific military strategies—on an encrypted messaging app, and that a journalist was accidentally included in the conversation, is being described as unprecedented in modern U.S. history.
The content of the group messages also reveals the ideological motivations behind the administration’s military calculus. Comments from officials reflected disdain toward European allies, with repeated emphasis on extracting economic concessions in exchange for U.S. military action. “If the U.S. successfully restores freedom of navigation at great cost there needs to be some further economic gain extracted in return,” read one message from a participant identified only as “S M.”
This revelation comes amid renewed scrutiny over the Trump administration’s handling of classified information and internal communications, further fueling concerns about oversight, chain of command, and operational security in the digital age.
As the Biden administration continues its own operations in the Middle East and Indo-Pacific, the incident serves as a glaring reminder of the vulnerabilities posed by modern communication platforms—even among top national security personnel.
