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WASHINGTON: High-ranking officials from Donald Trump’s administration, including the Vice President and the Secretary of Defense, mistakenly included a journalist in a private messaging group where they were discussing classified military strategies for potential strikes against the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen. This incident has raised substantial security concerns, as reported by The Atlantic magazine.
On March 13, The Atlantic’s editor-in-chief, Jeffrey Goldberg, was inadvertently added to an encrypted chat group on the Signal messaging app known as the “Houthi PC small group.” In this group, National Security Adviser Mike Waltz instructed his deputy, Alex Wong, to organize a “tiger team” dedicated to coordinating U.S. actions against the Houthis.
Following increased attacks on shipping in the Red Sea, President Trump initiated a series of military strikes against the Houthis on March 15, also warning Iran, the Houthis’ primary supporter, to cease its assistance immediately.
Just hours before these strikes commenced, Hegseth allegedly shared operational details, including target information, the types of weapons to be deployed by the U.S., and the sequence of attacks. Goldberg described this as a “shockingly reckless” use of the Signal platform to organize the military operation without releasing any specifics.
The Defense Department directed a request for comment to the National Security Council. NSC spokesperson Brian Hughes confirmed the authenticity of the chat group, stating, “Currently, the message thread in question seems to be genuine, and we are assessing how an incorrect number was added to the chain. This thread exemplifies the thorough and thoughtful policy coordination among senior officials. The ongoing effectiveness of operations against the Houthis shows that there was no threat to our service members or national security.”
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