A journalist was accidentally added to a group chat discussing U.S. airstrikes—now the White House is scrambling to contain the fallout.
It started as just another day for The Atlantic’s editor-in-chief, Jeffrey Goldberg. Then, a surprising notification popped up on his phone: an invitation to a Signal group chat labeled “Houthi PC small group.”
Inside the chat? Some of the most powerful national security officials in the Trump administration, casually discussing imminent U.S. military airstrikes in Yemen—completely unaware that a journalist was reading along.
Two hours later, the U.S. carried out those very strikes.
A National Security Blunder
The group chat included Vice President JD Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and National Security Advisor Mike Waltz—all of whom were openly debating the strategy for the airstrikes.
Goldberg, stunned by what he was seeing, later revealed that the officials discussed specific strike targets, weaponry, and even internal disagreements about the necessity of the attacks.
Vance questioned whether the strikes aligned with U.S. interests, warning about fallout with European allies.
Hegseth insisted they move forward, worried that any delay could lead to leaks—or even unilateral action from Israel.
The chat included emojis and casual banter, exposing a disturbingly relaxed attitude toward military decisions.
Panic and Denials from the Administration
Once the mistake was realized, officials scrambled to do damage control.
Defense Secretary Hegseth angrily dismissed the reports, claiming, “Nobody was texting war plans,” while attacking Goldberg as a “deceitful journalist.”
President Trump distanced himself, saying he had no prior knowledge of the situation and taking a shot at The Atlantic.
The National Security Council confirmed an investigation is underway to determine how Goldberg ended up in the chat.
Political Fallout and Public Outrage
The leak has sent shockwaves through Washington, with both parties calling for accountability:
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called it “one of the most stunning breaches of military intelligence in modern history.”
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries slammed the administration’s handling of classified information as “reckless, irresponsible, and dangerous.”
Bigger Questions About Security
Beyond the immediate scandal, this incident raises urgent concerns about how top officials communicate. Signal is an encrypted app—but it’s not a secure government platform for discussing classified information.
If U.S. war plans can be exposed because of a simple messaging mistake, what else is vulnerable?
As investigations continue, the White House is under growing pressure to prove it can protect America’s most sensitive military secrets.