In a major security lapse within the Trump administration’s top national security, a journalist was mistakenly added to an encrypted Signal group chat where officials were actively discussing military strikes on Yemen’s Houthi rebels.

Jeffrey Goldberg, editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, confirmed that he was included in the Signal group and was able to see real-time discussions about the strikes, including specific details about weapons, targets, and timing—just two hours before they were executed. Initially uncertain due to widespread misinformation, Goldberg has now stated he was part of the group and had access to sensitive war planning information.

The group chat included Vice President J D Vance, Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth, National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, CIA Director John Radcliffe, and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard. A participant identified as ‘MAR’ is believed to be Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

Brian Hughes, a spokesperson for the National Security Council, confirmed the authenticity of the discussions but downplayed the security risk, stating, “At this time, the message thread that was reported appears to be authentic, and we are reviewing how an inadvertent number was added to the chain. The thread is a demonstration of the deep and thoughtful policy coordination between senior officials.”

When asked about the incident in a press conference, President Donald Trump dismissed the matter, saying, “I don’t know anything about it. I’m not a big fan of The Atlantic. To me it's a magazine that is going out of business, I know nothing about it, you are telling me about it for the first time.”

The US began its strikes against the Houthis on March 15 following their threats to attack Israel over the Gaza blockade. These military actions have continued, with additional strikes reported over the weekend and into Monday.

The Houthis have attacked nearly 100 merchant vessels in the waters of the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, Bab el-Mandeb Strait, and the Arabian Sea since November 2023, in response to Israel’s retaliation against Hamas for the November 7 terrorist attacks.

This security lapse raises serious concerns about how classified military operations are discussed and safeguarded among top US officials.

(With inputs from Syndicated feed)