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Trump Officials Accidentally Leak Military Secrets to Journalist
A major security breach: Trump officials accidentally added a journalist to a military group chat, revealing details of Yemen airstrikes before they happened. Democrats demand an investigation.
ND
by News Desk
2025-03-25
Trump Officials Accidentally Leak Military Secrets to Journalist

A shocking revelation has emerged regarding a major security breach in the Trump administration. According to a report by The Atlantic, senior US officials accidentally leaked classified military details about planned airstrikes on Yemen’s Houthi rebels to journalist Jeffrey Goldberg—before the attacks took place.

How the Leak Happened

Goldberg, The Atlantic's Editor-in-Chief, revealed that he was accidentally added to a group chat on the encrypted messaging app Signal by US National Security Adviser Mike Waltz. The chat, named "Houthi PC small group", appeared to be a high-level coordination channel for top Trump administration officials discussing Yemen operations.

Among the 18 members of the chat were:

  • Mike Waltz – US National Security Adviser
  • Marco Rubio (MAR) – US Secretary of State
  • JD Vance – US Vice President
  • Tulsi Gabbard (TG) – Director of National Intelligence
  • Pete Hegseth – US Secretary of Defense
  • John Ratcliffe – CIA Director
  • Scott Bessent – Treasury Secretary
  • Stephen Miller (SM) – Homeland Security Advisor

What Was Revealed?

The leaked messages outlined precise details of the March 15 airstrikes, including:
✅ Target locations in Yemen
✅ Weapons to be used
✅ Attack sequence

The chat also showed internal disagreements, with Vice President JD Vance expressing concerns about the timing of the attack, fearing it contradicted Trump’s policy towards Europe. In response, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth insisted on proceeding, saying:

"We can manage both. We are prepared to execute, and if I had final go or no-go vote, I believe we should."

The airstrikes took place exactly as described in the messages, killing at least 53 people, including children.

Goldberg’s Reaction & US Government Response

After realizing the severity of the leak, Goldberg exited the chat and contacted government officials for clarification. The National Security Council (NSC) later confirmed the messages were authentic but downplayed the risk, stating:

"This appears to be an authentic message chain, and we are reviewing how an inadvertent number was added to the chain."

Meanwhile, Defense Secretary Hegseth denied leaking war plans, saying:
"Nobody was texting war plans. And that’s all I have to say about that."

Trump also dismissed the controversy, saying:
"I don’t know anything about it."

Could This Be a Violation of the Espionage Act?

Legal experts suggest that Mike Waltz and other officials may have violated the Espionage Act, which criminalizes leaking sensitive military information.

Democrats have called for an investigation, with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries stating:
"House Republicans must join Democrats in a swift, serious, and substantive investigation into this unacceptable and irresponsible national security breach."

Senator Chris Coons added:
"There needs to be an oversight hearing and accountability for these actions."

Has This Happened Before?

Yes. The US military has a history of accidental leaks, including:
📌 2023: Sensitive US military emails were accidentally sent to Mali due to a typo (“.ML” instead of “.MIL”).
📌 2021: Investigators found that US troops were using public websites to memorize nuclear security protocols.

What’s Next?

As political pressure mounts, an official probe into this massive breach may be inevitable. Whether Trump officials will face legal consequences remains to be seen.
Tagged:

NationalSecurity

TrumpAdministration

EspionageAct

YemenStrikes
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