The White House has confirmed that a Signal group chat, where members of the Trump administration appeared to discuss U.S. military plans for an attack on the Houthi rebels in Yemen, was real. The chat accidentally included journalist Jeffrey Goldberg, editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, who later exposed the conversation in a report.
Top U.S. Officials Discussed Sensitive Military Plans on Signal
According to Goldberg’s article, the private group chat included several high-ranking officials such as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Vice President JD Vance, National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The conversation reportedly involved detailed discussions about the timing, weapons, and strategy for a U.S. attack on the Houthis.
The White House National Security Council spokesperson Brian Hughes said the message thread “appears to be authentic” and added that officials are reviewing how Goldberg was mistakenly added to the group.
Goldberg Thought It Was a Prank — Until It Wasn’t
Goldberg originally believed someone was playing a prank on him. He thought it was too strange that national security leaders would use a messaging app like Signal to talk about a serious military operation—and even stranger that he, a journalist, would be included.
But as the chat continued and officials began exchanging celebratory emojis like fire, fist bumps, and American flags after the operation’s success, Goldberg realized this was no joke. He later said, “I think I’ve discovered a massive security breach in the U.S. national security system.”
Official Reactions and Denials
Pete Hegseth, who was named in the chat, later denied Goldberg’s description, saying, “Nobody was texting war plans.” He criticized Goldberg as a “discredited journalist” known for spreading false stories and called the article “garbage.”
President Trump also distanced himself from the situation, saying he didn’t know anything about it and was hearing about it for the first time. On his Truth Social platform, he later reposted a joke by Elon Musk mocking The Atlantic magazine.
Lawmakers Demand Investigations
The incident sparked strong reactions from Democratic lawmakers, who called it dangerous and irresponsible. Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton posted, “You have got to be kidding me,” on X (formerly Twitter), pointing out the double standard after she was heavily criticized for her own email server use.
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer called for a full investigation, saying this was “one of the most stunning breaches of military intelligence” he’d seen. Other lawmakers, like Sen. Tammy Duckworth and Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, accused the Trump administration of putting American lives at risk and acting carelessly with classified information.
Some Downplay the Incident
However, House Speaker Mike Johnson said the administration is handling the matter and that it was likely an “inadvertent mistake.” He doesn’t believe officials like Waltz or Hegseth should face any punishment.
The State Department also refused to comment directly, only saying that people should refer further questions to the White House.