Trump Team Talk War Plan Over Group Chat With Journalist

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ASHINGTON (AP) — Senior national security advisors for President Donald Trump, including his defense secretary, reportedly shared military plans for upcoming operations in Yemen through a group chat on a secure messaging app that also included The Atlantic’s editor-in-chief, as detailed in a story published online on Monday. The National Security Council confirmed that the text exchanges seem to be genuine.

According to editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg, the text messages included “operational details regarding imminent attacks on Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen,” which covered information about targets, the weaponry the U.S. intended to use, and the sequence of attacks.

It remains unclear whether the details of this military operation were classified, though such information is typically kept secure to protect both operational integrity and the safety of service members. The U.S. has been carrying out airstrikes against Houthi forces since they began targeting commercial and military ships in the Red Sea in November 2023.

Notably, just two hours after Goldberg received the information about the planned attack on March 15, the U.S. initiated a series of airstrikes targeting Houthi positions in Yemen.

The National Security Council stated that they are investigating how a journalist’s number became part of the Signal group chat.

In response, Trump informed reporters that he was unaware of the potential security breach.

“I know nothing about it,” Trump remarked, labeling The Atlantic as “not much of a magazine.” He added, “I don’t have any information on this. You’re telling me for the first time.”

While government officials have utilized Signal for organizational discussions, it is not classified and is vulnerable to hacking.

The leak of sensitive information coincides with a recent announcement from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s office, which has initiated a crackdown on information leaks, potentially employing polygraphs on defense personnel to ascertain how reporters obtain sensitive details.

Sean Parnell, a spokesperson for Hegseth, has yet to respond to inquiries regarding why the defense secretary would share military operational plans via an unclassified app.

The management of national defense information is strictly regulated by law, particularly under the Espionage Act, which includes provisions that criminalize the removal of such information from its designated custodial locations, even in cases of gross negligence.

In 2015 and 2016, the Justice Department investigated whether former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton violated the law by discussing classified matters with her aides via a private email server; however, the FBI ultimately recommended no charges.