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The Atlantic published a bombshell report Wednesday revealing leaked Signal messages in which Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth detailed U.S. military airstrike plans in Yemen—unintentionally sharing them with journalist Jeffrey Goldberg.
The transcript includes real-time updates on military aircraft movements and strike windows, raising alarm over national security protocols. One message from Hegseth read:
📝 “1215et: F-18s LAUNCH (1st strike package)”
📝 “1345: ‘Trigger Based’ F-18 1st Strike Window Starts (Target Terrorist is @ his Known Location so SHOULD BE ON TIME) — also, Strike Drones Launch (MQ-9s).”
While the texts did not specify exact targets, national security experts warn that sharing such details on an unclassified, encrypted messaging app like Signal is highly unusual—and potentially dangerous.
White House Denies Wrongdoing, Calls Report a “Hoax”
Despite the mounting controversy, the Trump administration is attempting to downplay the leak.
🚨 Trump: “It wasn’t classified information.”
🚨 Hegseth: “Nobody was texting war plans.”
🚨 National Security Council: “The message thread appears to be authentic, and we are reviewing how an inadvertent number was added.”
Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt dismissed the report as a “hoax” in a post on X, calling Goldberg a “Trump-hater.”
Meanwhile, Vice President JD Vance, who was also in the chat, highlighted that The Atlantic first described the messages as “war plans” but later called them “attack plans”—suggesting the controversy was exaggerated.
Congress Demands Answers Amid Security Concerns
The leak has sparked outrage among Democratic lawmakers, who are calling for resignations and further investigations.
🔴 Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL): “This is a serious life-and-death matter.”
🔴 Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS): “Based on my knowledge, I would have wanted this information classified.”
🔴 House Judiciary Committee: Launching a probe into whether intelligence officials misled Congress about the chat’s contents.
The Senate Armed Services Committee is now demanding an expedited Inspector General report, while House Democrats are pushing for Hegseth and National Security Adviser Michael Waltz to step down.
Was This a Major National Security Breach?
While administration officials claim no classified material was shared, former intelligence officials argue that any real-time U.S. military strike planning should be automatically classified.
Security analysts warn that exposing operational details—even on a secure app like Signal—could pose a serious threat if intercepted.
With investigations ramping up and bipartisan concerns growing, this scandal could have major consequences for the Trump administration’s handling of national security.
📌 What happens next? Stay tuned as Congress and intelligence officials determine whether this was a simple mistake—or a dangerous breach of U.S. military secrecy.
