Top Donald Trump administration officials inadvertently included a journalist in a sensitive group on Signal messaging app shortly before launching attacks on Yemen’s rebel Houthis.
The Atlantic‘s editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg was added in the classified group just before the US launched military strikes against the Houthis.
The classified group chat, named “Houthi PC small group,” included high-level discussions about the impending military operation, with National Security Adviser Mike Waltz coordinating the US response to Houthi aggression.
Who was in the group chat?
According to Goldberg, this Signal group had 18 participants. Besides Waltz, some of the members were individuals who identified themselves as vice president JD Vance, defense secretary Petev Hegseth, secretary of state Marco Rubio, director of national intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, treasury secretary Scott Bessent, CIA director John Ratcliffe, Trump’s Middle East and Ukraine envoy Steve Witkoff, White House chief of staff Susie Wiles, homeland security adviser Stephen Miller, and others.
Goldberg stated his own initials appeared as “JG” on the screen.
Inside the group chat
The leaked messages revealed internal discussions and concerns over the operation’s timing. Vance, writing from Michigan while attending an economic event, expressed skepticism about proceeding with the strikes.
“Team, I am out for the day doing an economic event in Michigan. But I think we are making a mistake.” He added, “I am not sure the president is aware how inconsistent this is with his message on Europe right now. There’s a further risk that we see a moderate to severe spike in oil prices.”
According to The Atlantic, Joe Kent, Trump’s nominee for the National Counterterrorism Center, supported Vance saying, “There is nothing time sensitive driving the time line. We’ll have the exact same options in a month.”
Goldberg said he “had hours of advance notice” about the strikes.
“I knew two hours before the first bombs exploded that the attack might be coming. The reason I knew this is that Pete Hegseth had texted me the war plan at 11:44 a.m. The plan included precise information about weapons packages, targets, and timing,” the veteran journalist wrote in a piece on the website.
The strikes commenced at approximately 1:45 p.m. Eastern time, with explosions reported across Sanaa, Yemen’s capital. Following the operation, officials shared congratulatory messages in the group.
National Security Adviser Michael Waltz praised the “amazing job,” while CIA Director John Ratcliffe termed it “A good start.” Other participants, including “MAR” (believed to be Marco Rubio), wrote “Good Job Pete and your team!!” White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles added, “Kudos to all – most particularly those in theater and CENTCOM! Really great. God bless.”
Who is Jeffrey Goldberg?
Goldberg, 65, joined The Atlantic in 2007 as a national correspondent and in 2016 was named the magazine’s 15th editor-in-chief. Under his leadership, The Atlantic won its first-ever Pulitzer Prizes.
Previously, Goldberg served as the Middle East correspondent and then the Washington correspondent, for The New Yorker. Beginning his career with The Washington Post’s police reporter, he also wrote for The New York Times Magazine, where he did 15 cover stories.
An author and a recipient of numerous awards, he has also served in the Israel Defense Forces.
