A major security lapse has rocked the Donald Trump administration after it was revealed that top US national security officials had inadvertently shared classified military plans for a Yemen strike with a journalist in an unsecured group chat. The shocking incident has drawn fierce criticism from both opposition Democrats and concerned Republicans, sparking calls for an investigation into the leak of sensitive military information.
Jeffrey Goldberg, editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, reported that he had been mistakenly added to a Signal group chat where US officials, including Vice-President JD Vance and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, were actively discussing military strikes against Houthi rebels in Yemen. According to Goldberg, the chat contained detailed information about the timing, targets, and weaponry involved in the attack, all of which he had access to two hours before the strikes were executed.
The revelation has triggered political backlash, with Democratic lawmakers calling it one of the most serious breaches of military intelligence in recent history. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer labeled the incident as “stunning,” while Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Roger Wicker, a Republican, confirmed plans for an investigation.
Goldberg explained that he had received a connection request on March 11 from an account purporting to be White House National Security Advisor Michael Waltz. Initially suspecting a hoax, he soon realized the messages were genuine when he witnessed real-time updates about a Yemen strike while sitting in a supermarket parking lot. Within minutes, news of explosions in Sanaa surfaced on social media, confirming the authenticity of the chat discussions.
The Signal chat, titled “Houthi PC small group,” included 18 high-level officials, including CIA Director John Ratcliffe, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Notably, Vice-President Vance raised concerns in the chat about the impact of the strikes on oil prices and their inconsistency with Donald Trump’s messaging on Europe. However, he ultimately agreed to support the consensus.
The group also discussed making European nations pay for US efforts to protect critical shipping lanes. At one point, Vance expressed frustration over aiding European allies, calling it “bailing Europe out again,” to which Hegseth replied, “I fully share your loathing of European free-loading. It’s PATHETIC.”
The National Security Council has since confirmed the authenticity of the chat and is reviewing how the journalist was mistakenly added. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt defended the administration’s military strategy, while President Donald Trump has yet to address the security lapse directly.
