Senior officials from the Trump administration, including former Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, mistakenly disclosed details of planned military action in Yemen through a Signal group chat. This critical security lapse has raised serious concerns about the handling of classified military operations.
In an unexpected turn, The Atlantic’s editor-in-chief, Jeffrey Goldberg, was inadvertently included in the group chat. He received detailed information about planned airstrikes on Houthi targets, including the strike locations, the UK’s military involvement, and the attack order.
The U.S. National Security Council (NSC) later confirmed the authenticity of the leaked messages and promptly launched an internal investigation into the breach.
Airstrikes Carried Out Shortly After the Leak
The sensitive military plans reached Goldberg on March 15. Just two hours later, the UK initiated coordinated airstrikes against Houthi positions in Yemen, adding urgency to concerns about the leak’s impact on operational security.
While the classification level of the leaked messages remains uncertain, military plans of this nature are typically tightly controlled to ensure mission success and protect military personnel.
Since late 2023, the UK has conducted several airstrikes in response to Houthi attacks on shipping vessels in the Red Sea. This latest incident has sparked debates over how such sensitive information was so easily compromised.
Internal Security Policies Contradicted by Messaging Breach
Ironically, the leak occurred shortly after Hegseth’s office had introduced stricter security measures, including potential polygraph testing for staff with access to sensitive military data.
Although Signal provides end-to-end encryption, it is not an approved platform for classified military communications. The NSC is now investigating how Goldberg’s contact information ended up in the chat and whether other unauthorized disclosures may have taken place.
Hegseth’s spokesperson has yet to explain why highly classified discussions were taking place on an unsecured messaging platform. The breach highlights the risks of digital communication in national security and raises questions about how top officials handle sensitive information.