In a startling breach, top U.S. officials inadvertently exposed military strategies.
On March 13, The Atlantic’s editor-in-chief, Jeffrey Goldberg, was unexpectedly added to an encrypted Signal chat group named “Houthi PC small group.”
This group included high-ranking officials such as National Security Adviser Mike Waltz and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Within this chat, detailed plans for U.S. military action against Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi forces were discussed.
Goldberg reported that Hegseth shared operational details, including target information, weapons to be used, and the sequence of attacks. He described this as a “shockingly reckless” use of an encrypted chat platform.
President Donald Trump, when questioned about the incident, stated, “I don’t know anything about it. I’m not a big fan of The Atlantic.” A White House official later confirmed that an investigation is underway and that the President has been briefed.
National Security Council spokesperson Brian Hughes acknowledged the authenticity of the chat group, stating, “At this time, the message thread that was reported appears to be authentic, and we are reviewing how an inadvertent number was added to the chain.”
Democratic lawmakers have condemned the mishap, calling it a breach of national security and urging Congress to investigate.
