US national security adviser Mike Waltz said that he takes “full responsibility” for the group chat fiasco where the journalist was accidentally added.
In an explosive revelation, The Atlantic magazine has published how the United States plans to bomb Yemen after its editor, Jeffrey Goldberg was accidentaly added to a group chat on messaging app Signal that includes several top US officials discussing operational details of the said attack.
India Today reported that US President Donald Trump casually responded to the fact that the chats were briefly exposed to the journalist, he said that the lapse was 'not a serious' one. Other reports have also suggested that Trump administration has claimed that the said information was 'not classified'.
US national security adviser Mike Waltz said that he takes “full responsibility” for the group chat fiasco where the journalist was accidentally added.
The Guardian in its report elaborated that the magazine in its initial report did not specify the details of the said attack in the aim of protecting national security.
Later, in another report, The Atlantic, reportedly said, "There is a clear public interest in disclosing the sort of information that Trump advisers included in nonsecure communications channels, especially because senior administration figures are attempting to downplay the significance of the messages that were shared."
Reportedly, the details of US bombings, drone launches and targeting information of the assault, including descriptions of weather conditions were also present in the group chat, according to the magazine.
There was also reported mention of specific weapons to be used along with the timings of the attack. The magazine has also said that there were reference to a “target terrorist” who is presumably a Houthi militant.
According to India Today the name of the group chat was 'Houthis PC small group'.
They also shared the exact messages by Pentagon chief, Pete Hegseth in the said group chat -
“TIME NOW (1144et): Weather is FAVORABLE. Just CONFIRMED w/CENTCOM we are a GO for mission launch"
“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)”
“1410: More F-18s LAUNCH (2nd strike package)”
“1415: Strike Drones on Target (THIS IS WHEN THE FIRST BOMBS WILL DEFINITELY DROP, pending earlier ‘Trigger Based’ targets)”
“1536 F-18 2nd Strike Starts – also, first sea-based Tomahawks launched.”
“MORE TO FOLLOW (per timeline)”
“We are currently clean on OPSEC”
“Godspeed to our Warriors.”
Further the magazine has written, "If this text had been received by someone hostile to American interests – or someone merely indiscreet, and with access to social media – the Houthis would have had time to prepare for what was meant to be a surprise attack on their strongholds. The consequences for American pilots could have been catastrophic."
Reportedly the magazine mentioned that the group chat set to automatically delete the conversation in next four weeks as per the given settings.
“There is a clear public interest in disclosing the sort of information that Trump advisers included in nonsecure communications channels, especially because senior administration figures are attempting to downplay the significance of the messages that were shared," The Atlantic said.
Reactions
The text chat participants included the US director of national intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, and the CIA director, John Ratcliffe who reportedly said that the leak contained no classified information.
The Atlantic reportedly also shared text chat between the Pentagon chief, Pete Hegseth and top intelligence officials, including Steve Witkoff who said that “nobody was texting war plans”.
The magazine contacted the Trump administration before publishing the information, to which they received response from White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt who said that the chats did not include classified information but at the same time also informed that the White House do not want the chats to be published.
“As we have repeatedly stated, there was no classified information transmitted in the group chat,” Leavitt reportedly wrote.
She added, “However, as the CIA Director and National Security Advisor have both expressed today, that does not mean we encourage the release of the conversation.”
Leavitt took to X where she stated, “these were NOT ‘war plans’. This entire story was another hoax written by a Trump-hater who is well-known for his sensationalist spin.”
Waltz also took to social media where he wrote, “No locations. No sources & methods. NO WAR PLANS,” and added, “Foreign partners had already been notified that strikes were imminent. BOTTOM LINE: President Trump is protecting America and our interests.”
(With inputs from The Guardian, India Today)