The Trump administration is facing intense scrutiny after a top investigative journalist revealed he was inadvertently added to a private Signal group chat where high-ranking US officials discussed classified military plans for strikes on Yemen’s Houthi rebels.
The startling revelation, published by The Atlantic, has triggered a political firestorm, with lawmakers from both parties calling for an urgent investigation into what is being described as one of the most significant intelligence breaches in recent years.
Leaked plans and accidental invitation
Jeffrey Goldberg, the editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, reported that he was mistakenly included in a Signal group chat titled "Houthi PC small group" on March 13.
The chat reportedly consisted of senior members of President Donald Trump’s national security team, including Vice-President JD Vance, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, and National Security Adviser Mike Waltz.
Goldberg revealed that within the chat, officials openly discussed classified details regarding an imminent US military operation against the Houthis, including weapons deployment, target locations, and strike timing. According to his account, he initially thought the messages might be part of a hoax but was stunned when, two days later, on March 15, reports emerged of US airstrikes hitting the Yemeni capital, Sanaa.
A Houthi spokesperson claimed at least 53 people had been killed in the attacks, though the US has not confirmed these figures.
The leak has raised serious national security concerns, as sensitive military details were reportedly accessible in a non-secure chat that included a journalist. Experts warn that if the information had reached adversaries, it could have endangered American military personnel and compromised US strategic operations.
Political uproar and calls for investigation
The revelation has sparked outrage among Democratic lawmakers and concern among some Republicans.
"This is one of the most shocking breaches of military intelligence in a very, very long time," said Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, calling for an immediate congressional investigation.
The Senate Armed Services Committee, chaired by Republican Senator Roger Wicker, confirmed it would launch a probe into the incident. "It's definitely a concern. It appears that mistakes were made," Wicker said.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt downplayed the controversy, stating that President Trump "continues to have the utmost confidence in his national security team," while defending the success of the military operation. However, the president himself appeared unaware of the controversy when asked by reporters.
"I don't know anything about it. I'm not a big fan of The Atlantic," Trump said dismissively on Monday.
Disagreements within administration
Goldberg’s report also revealed internal discord within the administration regarding the strikes. In one exchange, an account labeled “JD Vance”—believed to be Vice-President Vance—expressed concerns about the operation's timing and potential economic fallout.
"I am not sure the president is aware how inconsistent this is with his message on Europe right now," the Vance account reportedly wrote. "There’s a further risk that we see a moderate to severe spike in oil prices."
Despite his reservations, Vance eventually agreed to support the decision, though he emphasized the need for better public messaging.
Another notable exchange showed Vance criticizing European allies, suggesting they were benefitting from US military intervention without contributing enough.
"I just hate bailing Europe out again," he wrote, to which Defense Secretary Hegseth responded: "VP: I fully share your loathing of European free-loading. It's PATHETIC."
Legal and security implications
The use of an encrypted messaging app like Signal for discussing military operations has raised additional concerns. While Signal is widely used in Washington for secure communications, it does not employ US government encryption standards, nor is it hosted on government servers.
Security analysts argue that the incident highlights vulnerabilities in how classified information is handled within the Trump administration.
“Any unauthorized release of classified information is a violation of the law and will be treated as such,” Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard posted on X (formerly Twitter) on March 14, before the story broke.
Some experts also warn that the use of disappearing messages on Signal could violate federal record-keeping laws. Messages set to self-delete may prevent proper documentation of government decisions and actions, a potential violation of transparency laws.
Administration’s response and next steps
National Security Council spokesman Brian Hughes confirmed that the leaked chat messages appeared to be authentic and acknowledged that an unauthorized number had been added to the group.
"We are reviewing how an inadvertent number was added to the chain," Hughes said. "The thread is a demonstration of the deep and thoughtful policy coordination between senior officials."
Defense Secretary Hegseth, however, has rejected claims that military plans were openly discussed in the chat.
"Nobody was texting war plans, and that's all I have to say about that," he told reporters while on an official visit to Hawaii.
Goldberg swiftly countered Hegseth’s denial, telling CNN: "No, that’s a lie. He was texting war plans."
With multiple investigations now looming, the administration faces mounting pressure to address both the security lapse and the underlying concerns about how sensitive military decisions are handled.
Meanwhile, questions persist about whether this was a one-off incident or part of a broader pattern of lax security measures within the Trump administration’s national security apparatus.
As Congress prepares to launch hearings, the White House will likely face intensified scrutiny over the handling of classified intelligence—and the unintended exposure of US war plans to the media.
Major US secrets leaks that shook nation
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1971 – The Pentagon Papers: Military analyst Daniel Ellsberg leaked secret documents exposing U.S. government deception about the Vietnam War
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2010 – WikiLeaks Revelations: Julian Assange's platform published hundreds of thousands of classified U.S. military and diplomatic documents, exposing war crimes and secret operations
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2013 – Edward Snowden’s NSA Leaks: A former NSA contractor leaked files revealing mass surveillance programs targeting global communications
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2023 – Pentagon Document Leak: Air National Guardsman Jack Teixeira leaked top-secret documents about the Ukraine war and U.S. intelligence operations, raising security concerns
