US Officials Accidentally Leak Sensitive War Plans To Journalist On Secret App: What Did Text Say

Washington: In a major security breach, a few of US President Doanld Trump's officials including his defence secretary, shared detailed war plans for military strikes in Yemen in a group chat that included a journalist from a leading US media organisation.

Top officials, including Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, Vice-President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard, were part of a Signal group chat that included Jeffrey Goldberg, editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, AP reported.

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Citing Goldberg’s report, AP stated that the texts revealed "operational details of forthcoming strikes on Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen," including targets, weapons, and attack sequencing. The National Security Council also confirmed the authenticity of the text chain, raising concerns about operational security and the safety of US service members.

How Did This Happen?

The breach occurred when Trump’s national security advisor, Mike Waltz, added Goldberg to the Signal group chat. Just two hours after the leak on March 15, the US launched airstrikes on Houthi targets in Yemen, aligning with the details shared in the texts.

In His first comment, Hegseth  said, "Nobody was texting war plans and that's all I have to say about that."

However, he did not specify why Signal—an encrypted but unclassified app—was used for such sensitive discussions or how Goldberg’s number was included.

The National Security Council has launched an investigation into the matter.

'I Don't Know Anything': Trump

When asked to respond about the recent security breach, President Trump initially claimed he didn't know anything about it.  He told reporters, “II don't know anything about it. You're telling me about it for the first timer," before later joking about the magazine, amplifying a satirical headline from Elon Musk: "4D Chess: Genius Trump Leaks War Plans to The Atlantic Where No One Will Ever See Them.”

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Pressure Mounts for the Trump Administration

The leak comes at a sensitive time, as Hegseth’s office recently announced a crackdown on information leaks, including possible polygraph tests for defence personnel. Experts note that while Signal is more secure than standard texting, it is not classified and remains vulnerable to errors like this one.

The incident has drawn comparisons to past controversies, such as Hillary Clinton’s private email server, though no charges were filed in that case. Democratic lawmakers, led by Senate Leader Chuck Schumer, are now calling for a full investigation under the Espionage Act, which governs the handling of national defence information.

The administration faces mounting pressure to explain how such a breach occurred and whether the Yemen operation was compromised. With the US actively striking Houthi targets since November 2023, the stakes for operational security are high.

As the investigation unfolds, questions linger about the Trump team’s reliance on unclassified apps and the potential consequences for national security.