A stunning breach of U.S. national security is under investigation after Trump administration officials mistakenly disclosed classified military plans for airstrikes in Yemen during an encrypted group chat that inadvertently included a journalist, according to reports by The Atlantic.
The chat, titled “Houthi PC small group” on the Signal messaging app, included senior national security leaders such as National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Vice President JD Vance, and CIA Director John Ratcliffe, among others. Journalist Jeffrey Goldberg, editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, was unexpectedly added to the group on March 13, just days before the U.S. launched strikes against Iran-backed Houthi forces in Yemen.
“This is one of the most stunning breaches of military intelligence that I have read about in a very, very long time,” said Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, who has called for an immediate congressional investigation.
According to The Atlantic, Defense Secretary Hegseth allegedly shared operational details, including attack sequencing, target information, and weapon deployment—hours before the March 15 strikes began. Goldberg described the incident as “shockingly reckless.”
While Hegseth has denied texting war plans, Goldberg doubled down in a CNN interview, calling the denial “a lie.”
The National Security Council (NSC) confirmed the authenticity of the Signal thread and said it is reviewing how the journalist was added to the group. NSC spokesperson Brian Hughes stated that while the operation in Yemen was not compromised, the administration takes the breach seriously.