The Donald Trump administration accidentally revealed U.S. military plans to bomb Yemen's Houthi rebels to a journalist.
Jeffrey Goldberg, editor of U.S. media outlet The Atlantic, noted on the messaging app Signal on 24th (local time) that he was accidentally invited to a group chat used by high-ranking officials of the Trump administration, and in that chat, the Houthi bombing plans were shared in advance. Signal is a commercial messaging app that anyone can download and use.
At that time, it is reported that many high-ranking national security officials from the Trump administration participated in the chat room, including Vice President J.D. Vance, National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth.
Goldberg stated that he was invited to a group chat on Signal (Houthi PC small group) on the 13th, two days after he communicated with National Security Advisor Waltz via Signal on the 11th, and that bombing plans against the Houthi armed forces in Yemen were discussed in that chat.
In the chat room, Secretary Hegseth left a message stating, 'The first explosion in Yemen will be detected at 1:45 p.m. two hours later on the 15th,' and in fact, U.S. forces began bombing the Houthi rebels on the 15th.
White House National Security Council (NSC) Spokesperson Brian Hughes said in a statement, 'The group chat appears to be real, and we are reviewing how the wrong number was added,' while also noting, 'This group chat shows a deep and careful policy coordination among senior officials.'
According to U.S. military daily Stars and Stripes, voices demanding a hearing on the leak of classified information are emerging from the opposition Democratic Party. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer stated, 'If a government employee leaked information about such sensitive military operations, they should be investigated and definitely punished,' urging a Senate-level response.