Trump Officials Share War Plans in Signal Chat Including Journalist

In a stunning breach of protocol, top national security officials under President Donald Trump shared sensitive military plans in a Signal group chat that inadvertently included Jeffrey Goldberg, the editor-in-chief of The Atlantic. The chat reportedly detailed imminent U.S. airstrikes on Houthi rebels in Yemen, including targets, weaponry, and operational sequencing.

The National Security Council confirmed the authenticity of the leaked messages and is investigating how Goldberg's number was added to the secure group. Among the officials in the chat were Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard.

President Trump initially denied knowledge of the situation before joking about it later on social media. The breach has drawn sharp criticism from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle, with Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer calling for a full investigation and Republican Senator Roger Wicker pledging bipartisan scrutiny.

Defense Secretary Hegseth downplayed the situation, calling Goldberg a "discredited journalist," though he did not explain why such sensitive plans were shared via an unclassified app. Critics highlighted that similar actions by lower-ranking officials would likely lead to clearance revocation or criminal investigation.

Vice President Vance raised concerns within the chat about economic repercussions of the operation, including rising oil prices and Europe's disproportionate benefit. His comments revealed internal debate on the timing and strategic implications of the strikes.

While Signal offers end-to-end encryption, it is not classified and remains vulnerable to breaches. Experts and former national security officials stressed the need for stricter communication protocols to avoid compromising operational security.

The leak has reignited debates about the use of non-secure communication tools by high-level government officials and the broader implications for national defense.