Defense Secretary of Trump Inadvertently Transmitted Yemen War Strategy to Editor of The Atlantic
In the dramatic world of journalism, scoring an exclusive inside scoop on government operations often feels like striking gold. But few would consider the ideal snitch to be the head of a country's military - that's exactly what appears to have happened with the U.S. Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth. Allegedly, Hegseth leaked detailed war plans to the editor in chief of The Atlantic, Jeffrey Goldberg, according to Goldberg's recent article.
Goldberg claims he accidentally stumbled upon a group chat on Signal that included key members of the Trump cabinet, such as Hegseth, Vice President J.D. Vance, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, Tulsi Gabbard, National Security Advisor Michael Waltz, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, amongst others. This chat, possibly filled with powerful emojis and intellectual debates, revolved around upcoming strikes on Houthi rebels in Yemen - a major adversary in the Middle East for both the U.S. and Israel. Goldberg sets the stage by describing:
The world learned around midday on March 15 that the U.S. was bombing Houthis targets across Yemen. But I, along with a select few, knew two hours earlier that an attack might be imminent. Pete Hegseth, the secretary of defense, had texted me the war plan at 11:44 a.m. The plan included precise information about weapons, targets, and timing.
Although Goldberg doesn't delve into the nitty-gritty of these operational details, he does offer screenshots of the text message chain, replete with emojis supposedly sent by cabinet members. The night before the impending attacks, cabinet members are said to have debated the optimal timing for the strikes. During this debate, J.D. Vance reportedly raised potential objections, to which Hegseth apparently responded:
Waiting a few weeks or a month won't alter the fundamental outcome. The two primary risks of delaying are: 1) this leaks, and we look inconsistent; 2) Israel takes an action first - or Gaza ceasefire collapses - and we don't get to start this on our own terms. Or 3), you leak the news yourself and appear like a colossal fool.
The alleged texts also contain other pearls of wisdom, like Hegseth's vow to maintain "100%" operational security for the war strategy. Supposedly, the U.S. Defense Secretary texted:
We are ready to execute, and if I had final go or no-go authority, I believe we should. This isn’t about the Houthis. I see it as two things: 1) Restoring Freedom of Navigation, a core national interest; and 2) Reestablishing deterrence, which Biden cratered. But, we can easily pause. And if we do, I will do everything in my power to enforce 100% OPSEC...I welcome other thoughts.
Furthermore, Hegseth is said to have divulged "operational details" of the Yemen bombing plan, which, had they fallen into the wrong hands, could potentially endanger American military personnel, particularly those stationed in the Middle East. These details reportedly included information about air strikes on Yemen, targets, weapons, and attack sequences.
Marveling at the serendipity of the situation, Goldberg waited for news of the airstrikes to verify the authenticity of the information in the text message chat. Minutes after the scheduled time, explosions could be heard across Sanaa, the capital city of Yemen. Goldberg recounts:
If this Signal chat was real, I reasoned, Houthis targets would soon be pummeled. At about 1:55, I checked for signs of the attack happening and found that explosions were indeed taking place in Sanaa.
The White House has confirmed the veracity of the message thread, acknowledging that an inadvertent number was added to the group chat. Remarkably, the White House portrayed the thread as a "demonstration of the deep and thoughtful policy coordination between senior officials." The administration has yet to comment on the questionable legality of the text exchange, which, if true, potentially violates several provisions of the Espionage Act and poses a threat to national security.
- Jeffrey Goldberg, the editor in chief of The Atlantic, appeared to have access to a group chat involving key members of the Trump cabinet, including Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Vice President J.D. Vance, and National Security Advisor Michael Waltz, discussing upcoming strikes on Houthi rebels in Yemen.
- Pete Hegseth allegedly leaked detailed war plans about the Yemen bombing, including weapons, targets, and timing, to Goldberg two hours before the attack was publicly announced.
- During the debate in the group chat, J.D. Vance raised potential objections about the timing of the strikes, to which Hegseth reportedly responded, stating that delaying the operation could result in leaks, Israel taking action first, or Goldberg himself leaking the information and appearing foolish.
- Hegseth is said to have vowed to maintain "100%" operational security for the war strategy, promising to enforce it if they did decide to pause the operation and potentially endangering American military personnel in the Middle East by disclosing "operational details" of the Yemen bombing plan.
