Washington, DC [US], March 27 : A leaked Signal chat has revealed that senior Trump administration officials, including Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, National Security Adviser Michael Waltz, and CIA Director John Ratcliffe, shared details about an upcoming military strike on Yemen, The Atlantic reported.
The messages, inadvertently sent to The Atlantic's editor in chief, Jeffrey Goldberg, have raised serious concerns over operational security.
The administration has downplayed the incident, with officials insisting that no classified information was shared. At a Senate hearing, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and CIA Director John Ratcliffe both stated that the messages contained no classified material. President Donald Trump echoed this claim, dismissing concerns over the security breach. However, experts warn that even unclassified military planning details in an unsecured chat could pose a risk, particularly given the real-time operational information that was included in the conversation.
The chat, named "Houthi PC small group," contained specific details about attack timing and logistics. A message from Hegseth at 11:44 a.m. Eastern Time on March 15 provided a real-time update on mission status, stating that weather conditions were favourable and confirming with Central Command (CENTCOM) that the operation was proceeding. He then detailed launch times for F-18 fighter jets and MQ-9 drones, along with a timeline of expected strikes. According to the message, the first bombs were set to drop at 2:15 p.m. Eastern Time.
Goldberg, who received the messages by mistake, was able to view these details two hours before the airstrikes began. Had this information fallen into the hands of hostile actors, it could have jeopardised American forces. The discussion also included intelligence on targets, with Waltz later confirming in the chat that a primary Houthi target had been positively identified entering a building before a strike. Vice President J.D. Vance reacted to the news with a one-word response: "Excellent."
Security experts say the breach is alarming because even unclassified military details can be valuable intelligence. "If adversaries had access to this chat, they could have taken immediate countermeasures, relocated assets, or even pre-emptively struck US forces," said former NSA analyst Jake Williams. "It's not just about classification. It's about operational security."
Following The Atlantic's initial report, the administration repeatedly accused the publication of misrepresenting the content of the messages. In response, the magazine reached out to the White House, the CIA, the Department of Defence, and other national security agencies for comment on whether they objected to publishing the full chat.
While the White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt reiterated that the information was not classified, she stated that the conversation was "intended to be internal and private" and objected to its release, as per reports by The Atlantic.
Despite these objections, experts argue that the use of an unsecured messaging app for high-level military discussions represents a significant lapse in security protocol. The messages, while not officially classified, contained detailed real-time operational planning and intelligence assessments. Security analysts warn that even seemingly routine military updates should not be shared outside secured channels, particularly in an era where cyber threats and intelligence leaks can have immediate consequences.
According to cyber intelligence specialist Robert Lee, the choice to use Signal for discussing military operations is problematic, even though the app is encrypted. "It's one thing for junior officers to use it for coordination, but for senior administration officials to share time-sensitive operational details in a Signal group chat is a glaring security oversight," Lee said. He noted that while Signal is considered secure for personal communication, it does not meet government security standards for handling sensitive information.
The Trump administration has not provided a clear explanation for how Goldberg was included in the chat, with Waltz stating that he was still investigating how it happened. Some officials speculated that a staffer mistakenly added his number, though no one has taken responsibility for the error. The incident has led to renewed scrutiny of how high-level officials communicate, with some lawmakers calling for stricter protocols regarding military discussions.
Senator Mark Warner, chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said the incident underscores the need for tighter communication controls. "Whether classified or not, operational details of a military strike should not be floating around in a Signal chat," Warner said. "This administration has shown a pattern of carelessness when it comes to national security."
This is not the first time concerns have been raised over the Trump administration's handling of sensitive information. In 2023, reports surfaced that senior officials were regularly using personal email accounts for government business, and in 2024, a leaked audio recording revealed discussions about potential covert operations in Iran. These incidents have fuelled broader concerns about the administration's commitment to security protocols, The Atlantic reported.
As the fallout from the leaked chat continues, officials have yet to confirm whether any internal policy changes will be made to prevent similar incidents in the future. However, security experts warn that this breach could have lasting implications. "Military planning relies on secrecy and unpredictability," said Williams. "Once that's compromised, even unintentionally, it can change the calculus of conflict."
The White House has not announced any disciplinary action related to the leak, though internal reviews are reportedly underway. Meanwhile, the Yemen operation itself proceeded as planned, with US airstrikes hitting multiple Houthi targets in Sana'a and Hodeidah. CENTCOM has yet to release a full battle damage assessment, but preliminary reports suggest that the strikes successfully eliminated key Houthi missile sites.