Trump Officials’ Signal Chat Leak Sparks National Security Scandal

In a stunning breach of protocol, top Trump administration officials, including National Security Adviser Michael Waltz and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, inadvertently leaked sensitive military plans via a Signal group chat on March 11, 2025. The chat, which included Vice President JD Vance, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, and others, discussed U.S. airstrikes on Houthi targets in Yemen, complete with specific timelines like “1215et F-18s launch.” The bombshell came when Jeffrey Goldberg, editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, was accidentally added to the chat, later publishing the details on March 25, 2025. The leak has ignited a firestorm, with Democrats slamming the administration for endangering troops and demanding Hegseth’s resignation, calling it “sloppy and incompetent.” President Trump dismissed the incident as a minor glitch, insisting no classified information was shared. However, the use of a public messaging app for such discussions has raised serious questions about security practices. Senate hearings and public outrage have followed, with officials like Tulsi Gabbard denying wrongdoing despite evidence suggesting otherwise. Reported widely by outlets like The New York Times and AP News, this political scandal underscores ongoing tensions over national security in the Trump era.