A US journalist accidentally joined a private chat where top officials, including Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and Vice President JD Vance, discussed planned operations against Yemen’s Houthi rebels. The White House confirmed the incident on Monday.
US President Donald Trump ordered the strikes on March 15. However, The Atlantic’s editor-in-chief, Jeffrey Goldberg, revealed he had received advance information through the Signal group chat.
White House Responds to Security Breach
National Security Council spokesman Brian Hughes confirmed the chat’s authenticity. He stated, “The message thread that was reported appears to be authentic, and we are reviewing how an inadvertent number was added to the chain.”
Despite the breach, the White House assured that Trump still had confidence in his security team. Moreover, Trump claimed he knew nothing about the mistake.
Hegseth Denies Responsibility
Hegseth, a former Fox News anchor with little experience managing the Pentagon, denied any wrongdoing. He dismissed Goldberg’s claims, saying, “Nobody was texting war plans.” Nevertheless, the White House admitted the security lapse.
Goldberg reported that Hegseth shared details about the strikes. Specifically, he allegedly mentioned “targets, weapons the US would be deploying, and attack sequencing.”
Goldberg wrote, “According to the lengthy Hegseth text, the first detonations in Yemen would be felt two hours hence, at 1:45 pm eastern time.” Notably, the timeline matched the events on the ground.
Potential Consequences of the Leak
Goldberg did not disclose the information before the attack. However, if he had, the leak could have been disastrous. He said he was added to the group two days earlier and had received messages about the operation.
On March 14, someone identified as Vance doubted the strikes. He expressed his frustration, saying he hated “bailing Europe out again,” since European nations faced more Houthi attacks than the US.
Controversial Messages in the Group Chat
National Security Advisor Mike Waltz and Hegseth supported the strikes. Furthermore, Hegseth stated he shared Vance’s “loathing of European free-loading. It’s PATHETIC.”
A person identified as “S M,” possibly Trump advisor Stephen Miller, argued that the US should gain economic benefits if it restored freedom of navigation.
Hegseth refused to address questions about the leak. As a result, sensitive details had not only reached a journalist but had also been shared on a commercial app instead of secure military channels.
Strong Political Reactions
Democrats condemned the security breach. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called it “one of the most stunning breaches of military intelligence I have read about in a very, very long time.” Therefore, he demanded a full investigation.
Similarly, Senator Jack Reed criticized Trump’s cabinet, saying, “The carelessness shown by President Trump’s cabinet is stunning and dangerous.”
Hillary Clinton, whom Trump once attacked for using a private email server, responded on X. She shared The Atlantic article and wrote, “You have got to be kidding me.”
Houthi Threats in the Red Sea
The Houthi rebels have controlled much of Yemen for over a decade. They are part of the “axis of resistance,” opposing Israel and the US.
During the Gaza war, they launched several missile and drone attacks on ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. They claimed the strikes supported Palestinians.
Consequently, these attacks disrupted a crucial trade route that carries 12% of global shipping. Many companies rerouted their ships around Africa, significantly increasing costs.
The US, under former President Joe Biden, started striking Houthi targets. Some operations even included British support.
Meanwhile, Trump vowed to “use overwhelming lethal force until we have achieved our objective.” As a result, US strikes have continued for the past 10 days.
