A US journalist was unintentionally added to a Signal group chat where senior American officials, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Vice President JD Vance, discussed planned strikes against Yemen’s Huthi rebels, the White House confirmed on Monday.
President Donald Trump announced the strikes on March 15, but The Atlantic magazine’s editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg disclosed that he had received hours of advance notice through the group chat, raising serious concerns over a security breach.
National Security Council spokesman Brian Hughes said, “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 asserted that Trump maintains “utmost confidence in his national security team.” However, the president earlier denied knowledge of the situation, stating, “I don’t know anything about” the issue.
Goldberg refrained from publishing the information ahead of the strikes, avoiding further damage.
Goldberg reported that Hegseth had sent extensive details about the strikes, including target information, weaponry, and the attack sequence. “According to the lengthy Hegseth text, the first detonations in Yemen would be felt two hours hence, at 1:45 pm Eastern Time,” he wrote.
The timing was subsequently confirmed by on-the-ground reports.
Goldberg noted that he had been added to the group chat two days before the strikes. During this period, officials exchanged messages designating representatives to address the situation.
On March 14, Vance expressed doubts about the operation, stating his reluctance to “bail Europe out again,” citing the greater impact of Huthi attacks on European nations compared to the United States.
In response, National Security Advisor Mike Waltz and Hegseth argued that only the US had the military capability to conduct the strikes. Hegseth further voiced his frustration, agreeing with Vance’s criticism of European reliance on American defence. “It’s PATHETIC,” Hegseth wrote.
A participant identified as “S M,” believed to be Trump advisor Stephen Miller, suggested that the US should extract economic benefits in exchange for restoring freedom of navigation, given the military effort involved.
The breach prompted backlash from Democratic leaders. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer condemned the incident as “one of the most stunning breaches of military intelligence I have read about in a very, very long time” and called for a full investigation.
Senator Jack Reed also criticised the lapse, stating: “The carelessness shown by President Trump’s cabinet is stunning and dangerous.”
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who had faced criticism from Trump over her use of a private email server, reacted to the report by sharing the Atlantic article on X, commenting: “You have got to be kidding me.”
The Huthi rebels, aligned with Iran and part of the “axis of resistance” opposing Israel and the United States, have controlled parts of Yemen for over a decade. Amid the Gaza war, they have launched numerous drone and missile attacks targeting vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, claiming solidarity with Palestinians.
The attacks have severely disrupted maritime traffic on the vital route, which typically handles about 12% of global shipping. Many companies have been forced to reroute vessels around the southern tip of Africa, resulting in increased costs.
The US began striking Huthi targets under President Joe Biden’s administration, often with British support. Trump has pledged to continue using “overwhelming lethal force until we have achieved our objective,” citing the Huthis’ threats to Red Sea shipping. American strikes have persisted over the past 10 days.
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