The White House has confirmed an incident in which a journalist was unintentionally added to a group chat involving U.S. national security officials discussing military action against the Houthi rebel group. Jeffrey Goldberg, the editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, reported on Monday that he found himself included in a Signal messaging thread that featured prominent officials, including National Security Adviser Michael Waltz and Vice President JD Vance.
“At this time, the message thread that was reported appears to be authentic,”
announced Brian Hughes, a spokesperson for the National Security Council, in a statement to the BBC. He added that they are currently investigating how the journalist was mistakenly added to the communication chain. “The thread is a demonstration of the deep and thoughtful policy coordination between senior officials,” he noted.
During a press briefing on Monday, President Donald Trump stated he was unaware of the article published by The Atlantic. The U.S. had executed a series of airstrikes against the Houthis in Yemen on March 15, which were described by the administration as “decisive and powerful.” Prior to these strikes, Goldberg reported receiving a connection request on Signal from an account that appeared to belong to Waltz on March 11.
Insights from the Signal chat
Given the secure nature of Signal, which is favored by journalists and officials in Washington for its disappearing message feature and the ability to create aliases, Goldberg was surprised to find himself in a chat named “Houthi PC small group” just two days later. The chat included several accounts that seemed to represent cabinet members and national security officials, including “JD Vance” for the Vice President, “Pete Hegseth” for the Secretary of Defense, and “John Ratcliffe” for the CIA Director.
Goldberg reported that during the discussions about the impending strikes, the account labeled “JD Vance” expressed hesitation regarding Trump’s stance, stating,
“I am not sure the president is aware how inconsistent this is with his message on Europe right now.”
The account went on to voice concerns about potential spikes in oil prices and suggested that there was merit in postponing the strikes to allow for better communication with the public regarding their importance.
Administration’s response and military action
In response to the situation, Vance’s spokesman, William Martin, remarked that the Vice President “unequivocally supports this administration’s foreign policy.” Martin further indicated that the President and Vice President had continued discussions and reached full agreement on the matter.
Goldberg, initially skeptical about the authenticity of the group chat, decided to monitor the ongoing conversation. On March 15, while parked in a supermarket lot, he observed Signal communications about the strikes. Moments later, he checked for updates on X (formerly Twitter) and found reports of explosions occurring in Sanaa, the capital of Yemen.
On the same day, the Trump administration conducted the airstrikes, with Trump taking to Truth Social to comment on the actions against the Houthis, stating,
“Funded by Iran, the Houthi thugs have fired missiles at US aircraft, and targeted our Troops and Allies.”
The President further condemned the Houthis for their “piracy, violence, and terrorism,” which he claimed had caused significant financial and human losses.
In the aftermath, senior officials from the Trump administration took to various television platforms to discuss the strikes. “We just hit them with overwhelming force and put Iran on notice that enough is enough,” Waltz stated during an appearance on ABC News. The officials also deliberated on the possibility of European nations financing U.S. protection of crucial shipping routes, with one message indicating that the U.S. would need to take the lead in reopening these lanes, as planned at Trump’s request.