In a startling mistake, Trump administration officials inadvertently shared classified military plans for the Yemen conflict with a journalist in a group chat just days before a major U.S. military strike. On March 13, 2025, The Atlantic’s editor-in-chief, Jeffrey Goldberg, was mistakenly invited to a highly sensitive encrypted chat on the Signal app, where U.S. national security officials discussed details of an upcoming operation targeting Yemen’s Houthi rebels. These discussions included critical information about military targets, weaponry, and the timing of the attacks.
The information leak has raised significant national security concerns, with Democratic lawmakers calling for an immediate investigation, accusing the administration of mishandling classified information. The White House has confirmed the authenticity of the leak and stated that an internal review is underway to determine how the journalist was mistakenly added to the chat.
Among those involved in the group chat were key officials such as National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, Deputy Alex Wong, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and other senior members of the Trump administration. Despite initial denials from some officials, including Hegseth, the content shared reportedly included operational details about military targets and strategy.
This disclosure, especially so close to the strike, has raised serious legal questions, including potential violations of U.S. laws regarding the handling of classified information. Both Democratic and Republican lawmakers have called for further scrutiny, with some demanding Congressional investigations into the incident.
