United States: In a surprising turn of events, President Donald Trump revealed that a national security advisor’s staff member accidentally added Jeffrey Goldberg, the editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, to a private Signal group chat. This chat was reportedly used by senior Trump administration officials to coordinate an attack on Houthi militants in Yemen.
Trump confirmed the incident during a phone interview with NBC, clarifying that the mistake had no effect on the military operation. According to reports from Fox News, Goldberg’s number was saved by a staffer in National Security Advisor Mike Waltz’s office, leading to the accidental inclusion.
Goldberg later wrote about the incident, describing how he was added to a Signal chat named “Houthi PC Small Group” on March 11. Among the participants were key figures like Waltz, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Vice President JD Vance.
Signal, known for its secure encryption, is widely used for confidential communication. During the chat, participants allegedly discussed the timing of the strikes against the Iran-aligned Houthi forces. Goldberg mentioned that he monitored the chat until reports of explosions in Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, appeared online.
The accidental exposure of the conversation has sparked outrage, particularly among Democratic lawmakers. Calls for the resignation of Hegseth and Waltz have gained momentum, with some legislators demanding a congressional hearing to investigate the security lapse.
Trump, however, defended Waltz during a subsequent NBC interview. He described the situation as a learning experience for Waltz, expressing confidence in his integrity. Trump firmly stated that Waltz would not be dismissed over the incident.
White House Communications Director Steven Cheung dismissed Goldberg’s report as a politically motivated attack, likening it to previous controversies involving Trump. He criticized the media for sensationalizing minor incidents to undermine the former president.
Similarly, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt denied allegations of war plans being discussed in the chat. She emphasized that no classified information had been shared and labeled Goldberg’s claims as exaggerated.
According to Leavitt, the National Security Council is investigating how Goldberg’s number was mistakenly added to the group. She credited Trump’s leadership for the successful execution of the Houthi strikes, asserting that the incident had no bearing on the military’s effectiveness.
Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for further comments, but no immediate response was received.
