On Monday, the White House announced it was investigating the incident in which the editor-in-chief of The Atlantic magazine was unintentionally included in a group text discussing plans for airstrikes against Houthi militants in Yemen by individuals purported to be from President Donald Trump’s administration.
“Currently, the reported message thread seems to be authentic, and we are examining how an unintended number was integrated into the conversation,” stated the National Security Council in a communication to NBC News.
This statement followed an article released on Monday by Jeffrey Goldberg of The Atlantic, a seasoned journalist specializing in national security and foreign affairs. Goldberg noted that he was added to a group chat labeled “Houthi PC small group” on March 13 through Signal, an encrypted messaging service believed to be more secure than other commercial text messaging platforms.
In the piece, Goldberg expressed his initial doubts, recalling discussions with colleagues about whether the texts were part of a disinformation strategy, likely initiated by either a foreign intelligence agency or a media organization aiming to discredit journalists.
Goldberg reported receiving a sequence of messages on Signal that appeared to originate from Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, national security adviser Michael Waltz, and other notable figures from the Trump administration.
Goldberg quoted portions of the conversation, and The Atlantic published screenshots of the Signal chat. He mentioned that he chose not to disclose any details regarding actual military plans that could pose a risk to national security.
Goldberg noted that a user named “Michael Waltz” celebrated the initiation of a series of airstrikes against the Houthis on March 15 at 1:48 p.m. ET, just seven minutes before Goldberg checked X and learned that explosions were reported throughout Sanaa, the capital of Yemen.
“The thread epitomizes the substantial and considered policy coordination among senior officials. The ongoing success of the Houthi operation proves that there were no threats to our servicemen or our national security,” the National Security Council remarked in its statement.
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Goldberg stated that he left the Signal group after determining it was “almost certainly real.”
“Nobody in the chat seemed to notice my presence. I received no follow-up questions about why I departed — or, more importantly, about who I was,” Goldberg wrote.
In the article, he noted that a Signal account labeled “JD Vance” appeared to express reservations about the airstrike plans, stating, “I think we are making a mistake.” This account later responded to a user identified as “Pete Hegseth,” saying, “if you think we should do it let’s go.”
In a response to NBC News, Vance’s office emphasized that the vice president’s “top priority is ensuring that the President’s advisers provide adequate briefings on their internal discussions.”
“Vice President Vance fully backs the administration’s foreign policy. The President and Vice President have had follow-up discussions on this matter and are in complete concord,” the vice president’s office stated.
Trump asserted he was unaware of the issue, informing a reporter in the Oval Office on Monday: “You’re telling me about it for the first time.”
Reaction from Democrats
The Atlantic article quickly prompted backlash and ridicule from Democratic lawmakers.
Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., the vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, remarked on X: “This administration is recklessly handling our nation’s most classified information, making all Americans less safe.”
Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, stated, “Every single one of the officials on this text chain has potentially committed a crime — even inadvertently — that could typically lead to jail time.”
Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., criticized the situation as “amateur hour.” Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, the Democratic Party’s 2024 vice presidential candidate, quipped: “Pete Hegseth texting out war plans like invitations to a frat party.”
Rep. Chris Deluzio, D-Pa., who serves on the Armed Services Committee, condemned the incident as an “outrageous national security breach” and demanded “a comprehensive investigation and hearing on this.”
Even a Republican member of Congress criticized Trump’s national security team.
“Classified information should never be shared over unsecured channels — especially not with individuals lacking security clearances, including reporters. Period,” Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., expressed on X. “Measures must be implemented to ensure this does not occur again.”
