The White House said that on Monday, a signal chat that discussed US attacks on Houthi in Yemen who accidentally included Jeffrey Goldberg, Atlantic Editor in Chief, “It seems authentic.”
Trump administrative members coordinate a very sensitive war plan on unsafe group chat, Goldberg wrote Report for publication on Monday.
Spokesperson of the White House Security Council Brian Hughes shared with ABC News the statement he gave to Atlantic who confirmed the truth of the signal group chat, which according to Goldberg included Defense Minister Pete Hegseth, Vice President JD Vance, National Security Advisor of the White House Mike Waltz and State Secretary Marco Rubio, including.
“At this time, the reported message that was reported appeared to be authentic, and we were reviewing how unintentional numbers were added to the chain. The utas was a demonstration of in -depth and wise policy coordination between senior officials. Sustainable success of the Houthi Operation showed that there was no threat to our service members or our national security,” Hughes said in the report.
The revelation sparked anger and distrust, including from the former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who was determined by criticizing the use of a private email server while in the Department of Foreign Affairs on the days before the 2016 presidential election that he lost to Trump.
“You must be kidding,” Clinton posted on X.
Defense Secretary Peter Hegseth listened when President Donald Trump gave a statement at the White House Oval Office, March 21, 2025 in Washington.
Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images
Asked about the incident, President Donald Trump said he “did not know anything about it,” and then added that he heard it for the first time from the reporter who asked questions.
Pentagon refers to questions about Hegseth’s participation in signal discussions and sharing plans of attacks to the National Security Council and White House.
Spokesman for the Department of Foreign Affairs Tammy Bruce was asked about Atlantic Report – including why cabinet members had a secret conversation over signals and whether Rubio was worried about the implications of the incident.
“Well, I have two very short things to say to you: first is that we will not comment on the deliberative conversation of the secretary, and secondly, that you have to contact the White House,” Bruce answered.
Democratic Senator Jack Reed, a member of the ranking at the Senate Armed Service Committee, said in a statement, “The carelessness shown by the President Trump President Trump’s amazing and dangerous cabinet.”
“If true, this story represents one of the most terrible failures of operational and common sense security and common sense,” Reed said. “Military operations need to be handled with full wisdom, using approved and safe communication channels, because American life is on the telephone.”
Other Democrats Congress expressed doubt and calling for investigations.
House leader House Hakeem Jeffries said the incident was “careless, not responsible and dangerous.”
“These people are very not eligible, are not responsible, and they endanger the national security of America,” he said about the Trump government.
“The entire Trump government is filled with incompetent minions and cronies. I am not talking about certain people,” he added. “I will note that the defense secretary in the chain must be the person who at least fulfills the requirements that have led the Pentagon in American history. Think about that.”
Democratic Senate Leader Chuck Schumer urged the majority leader of the Senate John Thune and the Republic Senate to work with Democrats in the “full investigation” of the incident.
“Mr. President, this is one of the most amazing military intelligence violations I have ever read in a very, very long time,” Schumer said on the Senate floor. “This kind of carelessness is how people are killed. That’s how our enemy can use us. That’s how our national security falls into danger.”
Illinois Senator Tammy Duckworth, a retired Lieutenant Colonel of the National Guard, posted on X: Pete Hegseth, Secretary of Defense who at least met the requirements in history, showed his incompatibility correctly -to leak a war plan in group chat … Hegseth and Trump made our country less safe. “
Delaware Senator Chris Coons said the participants in the chat had “committed crimes – even if accidentally” and added, “We cannot trust anyone in this dangerous government to keep Americans safe.”
Arizona Senator Ruben Gallego called the episode “Amateur Clock.”
“This is a real person [sic] It also sells Ukraine and destroys our alliances around the world, “he added.” No wonder Putin humiliated them at the negotiation table. “
House speaker Mike Johnson reduced the incident, saying, “Administration discusses what happened, apparently, an unintentional telephone number managed to enter the utas. They will track it up and ensure that it does not happen again.”
Encouraged to conduct such discussions on irresponsible third -party applications, Johnson answered, “Look, I will not characterize what happened. I think the government has acknowledged that it is a mistake, and they will tighten and make sure it doesn’t happen again. I don’t know what else you can say.”
Johnson added that he did not believe Waltz or Hegseth had to be disciplined.
-ABC News’ Luis Martinez, Shannon K. Kingston, John Parkinson, Jay O’Brien, Oren Oppenheim and Lalee Ibssa contributed to this report.