Trump downplays security breach after Atlantic editor mistakenly added to classified Signal chat
In an unusual security lapse, veteran US journalist Jeffrey Goldberg revealed that he was inadvertently added to a private group chat with senior Trump administration officials as they discussed plans to attack Yemen’s Houthis earlier this month, media reports said.
Goldberg, editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, recounted the incident in an article titled "The Trump Administration Accidentally Texted Me Its War Plans".
The encrypted Signal chat included key officials such as Vice President JD Vance, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, National Security Adviser Michael Waltz, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
How did the journalist end up in the chat?
On Tuesday, President Donald Trump addressed the apparent security breach, confirming that Goldberg had been mistakenly included in a classified Signal chat discussing military operations against the Iran-backed Houthis.
Trump attributed the incident to an error by a junior staff member working under National Security Adviser Mike Waltz. “And what it was, we believe, is somebody that was on the line with permission; somebody that was with Mike Waltz — worked for Mike Waltz at a lower level — had, I guess, Goldberg's number or called through the app, and somehow this guy ended up on the call,” Trump said in an interview with Newsmax.
The chat, named "Houthi PC small group," reportedly included 18 senior officials coordinating the US military response to Houthi aggression, according to TOI.
Trump insisted that the discussion did not contain classified details, adding, “There was no problem, and the attack was a tremendous success.”
Administration response and fallout
National Security Adviser Mike Waltz later acknowledged the mistake, stating he was unsure how Goldberg was added to the chat.
“I’ve never met him, don’t know him, and have never communicated with him,” Waltz said.
Appearing on Fox News Channel’s The Ingraham Angle, he admitted to creating the chat and confirmed that White House technical experts were investigating how Goldberg’s number had been included.
“We made a mistake. We’re moving forward,” Waltz said, taking “full responsibility” for the mishap.
Trump dismisses concerns
Trump downplayed the incident, calling it “the only glitch in two months” and reiterating that no classified intelligence was exposed. He also criticised The Atlantic and Goldberg, announcing that the administration would limit its use of Signal for sensitive discussions.
“We won’t be using it very much,” Trump remarked, adding that he preferred in-person meetings under strict security. “If it were up to me, everyone would be in a room together—with solid lead walls, a lead ceiling, and a lead floor.”
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