A stunning breach of U.S. national security has occurred after top U.S. officials in the Trump administration mistakenly disclosed sensitive war plans in a Signal group chat that included a journalist.
The Atlantic’s editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg was inadvertently added to the encrypted chat, where senior U.S. officials, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Vice President JD Vance, discussed operational details of upcoming airstrikes against Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis. Just two hours after Goldberg saw the messages, the U.S. launched airstrikes against the Houthis.
The leaked conversation also revealed internal tensions, with Vance questioning the necessity of U.S. intervention, expressing frustration over aiding European allies affected by Red Sea disruptions. He also warned that the strikes could trigger oil price spikes and contradict Trump’s broader policy stance. Meanwhile, Hegseth dismissed European allies as “pathetic” and supported immediate military action.
The National Security Council (NSC) confirmed the authenticity of the leaked messages and launched an investigation into how Goldberg was added to the group, but no immediate staffing changes were announced. Hegseth denied discussing war plans, while Trump distanced himself from the incident, claiming he had no prior knowledge.
