On 13 March, US National Security Adviser Michael Waltz inadvertently included The Atlantic editor Jeffrey Goldberg in a Signal group chat discussing plans for a US air attack on Houthi targets in Yemen. The chat, intended for senior officials, revealed a misspelling of 'principals' as 'principles' and a lack of military representation, with the chair of the joint chiefs omitted.
Following The Atlantic's publication of the exchanges, the Trump administration denied that classified information had been released, calling the story a hoax and attacking Goldberg. Goldberg subsequently published the detailed war plans he had initially withheld, noting that he was the only responsible party involved.
The leaked transcript exposed the internal hierarchy of the administration, with Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller emerging as the de facto decision-maker. Chief of Staff Susie Wiles appeared as a cheerleader, while Vice-President JD Vance voiced objections but quickly deferred to the group's consensus. Vance's comments suggested he was out of the loop and questioned whether President Trump was aware of contradictions in his own policies.
The use of the Signal app with timed deletion of messages breaches National Archives preservation rules, and the Espionage Act criminalises gross negligence in handling classified material. The incident highlights what critics describe as a culture of incompetence among senior officials, who appear unable to maintain discretion or conduct serious national security discussions.
