Trump officials shared military strike plans on Signal; journalist accidentally added to group chat: Report

White House mistakenly shares Yemen war plans with a journalist at The Atlantic

Senior US officials from President Donald Trump‘s administration reportedly shared highly sensitive military plans regarding strikes in Yemen via the encrypted messaging app Signal—on a group chat that accidentally included a journalist, according to an exposé by The Atlantic.

The messages included operational details about airstrikes on Houthi militants, raising alarms across national security circles. The Trump administration confirmed the messages appeared authentic but offered no justification for using an unsecured platform to discuss national defense strategies.

Shock and scrutiny follow Atlantic revelation

As soon as the article was published, reactions across the Trump administration ranged from disbelief to panic. Multiple current and former officials confirmed the situation was considered a grave breach of protocol. Some speculated that the error could result in dismissals.

The incident began when National Security Advisor Mike Waltz reportedly created a Signal chat to coordinate military action with top officials, including Vice President J D Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Waltz mistakenly included The Atlantic’s Editor-in-Chief Jeffrey Goldberg in the conversation.

Goldberg quietly observed a conversation that included planning details, timelines, and congratulatory messages post-strike before removing himself from the thread.

Violation of National Security norms

Security experts criticized the use of Signal for such high-level communication. Though Signal is encrypted and open-source, it is not approved for transmitting classified information. Officials pointed out that secure alternatives like SIPRNet and JWICS are specifically designated for such use.

Former Defense Secretary Leon Panetta condemned the breach, calling it a “serious blunder” and warning that had a different journalist been added, the information could have been leaked to hostile entities, potentially endangering US personnel.

Hegseth denied discussing war plans via Signal, despite the administration’s earlier acknowledgment of the messages. He also lashed out at Goldberg, calling him “deceitful.”

Legal and procedural implications

Legal experts and former DOJ officials noted that the incident may violate federal laws like the Espionage Act, which prohibits mishandling of national defense information. Pentagon policies explicitly state that apps like Signal are not authorized for such data.

Despite the gravity of the situation, an internal investigation appears unlikely, as those involved have the authority to classify and declassify information, and they would typically be responsible for initiating such probes.

“If a lower-level employee had done this, they’d be fired and possibly prosecuted,” one former DOJ official said.

Republican and Democratic responses differ

While Republicans were split in their reactions, Democrats expressed outrage. Rep. Jim Himes, the ranking Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, called the actions “a brazen violation” of national security laws and promised to raise the issue at upcoming hearings.

Vice President J D Vance expressed concerns in the leaked chat about whether the strikes aligned with the administration’s broader messaging. However, his spokesperson later reaffirmed Vance’s support for the administration’s foreign policy.

Background: History of criticism on the use of unsecured platforms

Ironically, several officials involved in the Signal chat had previously criticized others, notably Hillary Clinton, for using non-government platforms for sensitive communications. Marco Rubio had once said such actions were “a disqualifier.”

The Trump administration’s handling of classified information has been under legal scrutiny before, including in the Justice Department’s investigation into Trump’s retention of documents at Mar-a-Lago.

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