Trump officials accidentally text Atlantic journalist about military strikes in apparent security breach

The Atlantic's editor-in-chief was inadvertently included on a messaging chain of senior Trump officials that discussed plans for a forthcoming strike on the Houthis in Yemen.

Jeffrey Goldberg penned a first-person account of getting a connection request from what appeared to be Trump's National Security Advisor Michael Waltz on March 11 on Signal, a popular encrypted messaging service used by journalists and government officials. He accepted and was then added to a chat group called "Houthi PC Small Group," where he proceeded to see a series of top Trump officials discuss what turned out to be an upcoming attack on the Houthis, in what critics are calling a massive breach of national security.

Goldberg laid out how 18 members were listed in the group, including Waltz, Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, CIA Director John Ratcliffe and White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles. What ensued in the following days was a discussion about attacking the Houthis, an Iran-backed terrorist group that's wreaked havoc on ships in the Red Sea and disrupted traffic through the critical Suez Canal.

The principals in the chat raised various concerns about the timing of the strikes, whether it was prudent to wait, and the security of the operation. Vance's account expressed skepticism about the attack, saying at one point he thought it was a mistake, and at another saying, "I just hate bailing Europe out again," alluding to European trade having far more skin in the game with the Suez Canal than the United States.

The following day, according to Goldberg, Hegseth posted highly sensitive information in the chat with operational details of future strikes. Goldberg said he would not print them, but he claimed an adversary with access to what was written could have harmed U.S. military or intelligence officials abroad. Goldberg said he learned the timing of the Yemen strikes on March 15 from the Signal posts.

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Trump officials accidentally text Atlantic journalist about military strikes in apparent security breach

In a major security breach, top Trump officials discussed a military strike on Yemen on a private messaging chain that inadvertently included the editor of The Atlantic.

www.foxnews.com

 

[1LoverofGod]

It is being addressed, and it’s not a National security threat. The mistake has been corrected.

I would like to see that staffer fired for his mistake.
Addressing it can begin there.
So far nobody has corrected this problem that the staffer caused. Because that journalist was in there to begin with Is a national security threat.

 

[Andy C]

I would like to see that staffer fired for his mistake.
Addressing it can begin there.
So far nobody has corrected this problem that the staffer caused. Because that journalist was in there to begin with Is a national security threat.

It would be a threat if it was not uncovered. However, they will now prevent further info being mistakenly leaked.

The problem has been corrected. The administration stated which office made the mistake, problem solved.

The Nation was never in harms way, there was no threat to our homeland.

I will simply leave it up to the President in how he will handle this limited breech, and if anyone will be fired.

 

[Baby Yoda]

This story is a big nothing burger, released by a “gotcha” reporter. Another “Russian” hoax like story.

Yes and it's so irritating that they handed the dums something to pounce on.

 

[mattfivefour]

Nevertheless, why were they using Signal to communicate, instead of a secured in-house method?

 

[Ronnie]

BREAKING VIDEO: WH Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt Releases Statement On Signal "Leak" Of Houthi War Plans

She Catalogues Jeffrey Goldberg's History Of Fake News, Hoaxes, & Anti-Trump Propaganda:

"This Is The Same Jeffrey Goldberg Who Infamously Lied About Weapons Of Mass Destruction To Get Us Into The Iraq War"

 

[Andy C]

Nevertheless, why were they using Signal to communicate, instead of a secured in-house method?

Thats a good question.

 

[1LoverofGod]

It was a security threat because an unauthorized person got in there.
If someone broke into my house and I caught him breaking in, and he ran out without taking anything because he got caught, that would be a security threat.
It wouldn't be seen as nothing just because he ran out without taking anything.
The fact that he got into my house made it a threat and is reason to make sure that my home is better secured.
It was a security threat that he got into the encrypted chat

 

[Margery]

Nevertheless, why were they using Signal to communicate, instead of a secured in-house method?

And that is the heart of the matter.

Close the leaks, doesn't matter if it was a friend or foe who brought it up, this is a weak spot, a potential problem.

Or as I used to tell the kids, mistakes are God's little learning opportunities.

I disagree with Karoline Leavitt dismissing it because it came from a political enemy. It happened, and it happened with someone it shouldn't have, and he did what a political enemy will do- which is use it to embarrass. She's trying to defuse the left's attempt to attack the President over it- that's her job but in reality, dismissing something just because it's your enemy pointing it out is worse.

What a mistake like that does, is alert you to a potential weakness- to learn from so that mistake or ones like it, won't and can't happen in future when It might matter more. To dismiss it because it's an enemy speaking, limits the kind of info you can act on.

It's actually really valuable information. Whether it comes from a friend or a foe, it's information that is needed in order to prevent trouble down the road.

 

[mattfivefour]

And I think they have learned that lesson. Trump will not brook a repeat. Make a mistake? Hey, mistakes happen. Learn from it. Make the same mistake twice? You're in the wrong job. You're fired.

 

[Andiamo]

Maybe begin with replacing Walz's staffer who invited this leftist journalist into the chat on accident?
Why would this staffer have a leftist journalist in his contacts?

That’s what I want to know.

 

[Andiamo]

Nevertheless, why were they using Signal to communicate, instead of a secured in-house method?

Another thing I want to know. Stupid!

 

[mattfivefour]

I have since learned that Signal is a highly secured app that is widely used by diplomatic, military and national security personnel and in fact is preinstalled on government phones for that purpose.

 

[Andiamo]

I have since learned that Signal is a highly secured app that is widely used by diplomatic, military and national security personnel and in fact is preinstalled on government phones for that purpose.

Yet an outsider was easily able to be accidentally added to a conversation. This makes no sense.

 

[mattfivefour]

Yet an outsider was easily able to be accidentally added to a conversation. This makes no sense.

I heard one of Waltz's aides had the name in his contact list and --allegedly inadvertently-- accidently added it into the recipient list for this group discussion. I think it's a safe bet this will never happen again.

 

[Andiamo]

I heard one of Waltz's aides had the name in his contact list and --allegedly inadvertently-- accidently added it into the recipient list for this group discussion. I think it's a safe bet this will never happen again.

Sounds like it was too easy for that to happen. This app shouldn’t be so responsive to slippery fingers . And if I were Trump I would seriously be grilling Waltz (aide?) why this junk journalist was in his phone (contacts?) Weird.

 

[Matthew6:33]

Hmmm I wonder how many times a reporter was on some chat with the previous administration discussing high level matters and we never heard a peep about it? Surely that never happened.

 

[Ronnie]

As in Hillary Clnton personal server.

 

[1LoverofGod]

Hmmm I wonder how many times a reporter was on some chat with the previous administration discussing high level matters and we never heard a peep about it? Surely that never happened.

I just want to say.....

SO HAPPY TO SEE YOU BROTHER!!!!!!


Praise God you are here with us.
I've been praying for you.

 

[Andy C]

It was a security threat because an unauthorized person got in there.
If someone broke into my house and I caught him breaking in, and he ran out without taking anything because he got caught, that would be a security threat.
It wouldn't be seen as nothing just because he ran out without taking anything.
The fact that he got into my house made it a threat and is reason to make sure that my home is better secured.
It was a security threat that he got into the encrypted chat

Agree it was a threat, and it’s stopped now, but not a National Security Threat.

Regardless of the severity, extremely embarrassing for the administration.

 

[Ronnie]

Lord, deliver the President and Cabinet from the snare of the Fowler and from the enemies traps, I pray in Jesus' name.