The Atlantic has recently unveiled a significant development involving U.S. military strategy, stemming from a group chat that Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth participated in via the Signal messaging app. This chat included several high-ranking officials from the Trump administration, inadvertently shared with Jeffrey Goldberg, the editor in chief of The Atlantic. The discussions centered around planned military strikes against Houthi rebels in Yemen.
In his initial report, Goldberg chose to withhold specific details from Hegseth’s messages, opting instead for a broader overview. His decision was driven by a concern for the safety of U.S. military personnel, as the potential publication of sensitive information could have posed risks to their lives.
Administration’s Response
In the wake of the publication, officials from the Trump administration have firmly asserted that the information exchanged on Signal was not classified. They have also sought to undermine Goldberg’s credibility, referencing past articles he has written for The Atlantic. During a congressional testimony, both Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and CIA Director John Ratcliffe reiterated that the shared material was not classified, a sentiment echoed by former President Trump later that day. Hegseth maintained that the group was not discussing war plans.
Goldberg and Shane Harris, in a follow-up piece, articulated their belief that the public deserves access to the texts in question. They argued that the statements made by Hegseth, Gabbard, Ratcliffe, and Trump, along with the claims of dishonesty from various administration officials, warrant transparency. They emphasized the importance of disclosing information shared through nonsecure channels, especially when senior officials attempt to minimize the significance of the messages.
The published texts reveal Hegseth detailing the timing of the operation, including when the first strikes were to occur and the targeting of “terrorist” individuals. Shortly after the initial strike, National Security Adviser Mike Waltz provided updates on the damage inflicted and identified some members of the Houthi leadership who were affected.
Goldberg and Harris noted that Hegseth sent a message to a group that included Goldberg’s phone number at 11:44 a.m., just 31 minutes before the first U.S. warplanes were deployed. They highlighted that if this information had fallen into the hands of individuals opposed to U.S. interests, it could have compromised the element of surprise intended for the operation, potentially endangering American pilots.
Following the release of the texts, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt reiterated that no classified information was shared in the chat. However, she expressed objections to the publication, framing it as an internal discussion among senior staff that included sensitive topics. The identity of a CIA officer mentioned by Ratcliffe remains undisclosed at the request of the agency, despite assurances that the individual was not undercover.
In a notable shift, Leavitt appeared to differentiate between “war plans” and “attack plans,” a distinction that has been a point of contention. The Atlantic’s initial headline referred to the texts as “war plans,” while the latest piece opted for “attack plans.” Leavitt took to X to assert that The Atlantic had conceded to this distinction, labeling the entire story as a fabrication by a journalist known for sensationalism.
In response to Leavitt’s remarks, Goldberg expressed confusion during an appearance on MSNBC’s Morning Joe, questioning the semantics of the administration’s characterization. He pointed out that the discussions were centered around military actions targeting terrorists, suggesting that the administration’s focus on terminology was an attempt to divert attention from the gravity of the situation.
