President Donald Trump responded Monday to Jeffrey Goldberg, the editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, after Goldberg said he was inadvertently added to a group chat in which senior Cabinet officials discussed airstrikes on Houthi terrorists in Yemen.
Goldberg revealed that he connected with National Security Adviser Mike Waltz on Signal and was unexpectedly added a few days later to a group chat on the app entitled “Houthi PC small group.”
The chat was used by officials such as Vice President J.D. Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard to discuss striking the Houthis amid interruptions to shipping channels in the Middle East.
Trump told reporters that he was unaware of the reports that Goldberg was apparently included in the messages.
“I don’t know anything about it. I’m not a big fan of The Atlantic,” Trump said. “To me, it’s a magazine that’s going out of business. I think it’s not much of a magazine. But I know nothing about it.”
“You’re telling me about it for the first time,” the commander-in-chief added.
Trump on his cabinet members using Signal to text war plans to a reporter: “I don’t know anything about it. I’m not a big fan of The Atlantic. To be it’s a magazine that’s going out of business. But I know nothing about it. You’re saying that they had what?” pic.twitter.com/cBl0g40tsm
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) March 24, 2025
According to an article published Monday by Goldberg, the journalist watched silently as the officials discussed details of the strikes in the chat, debating over the operations and the message they would send to allies and adversaries.
Brian Hughes, the spokesman for the National Security Council, confirmed the validity of the group text to Goldberg.
Do you think Trump will get to the bottom of this leak?
Yes: 93% (14 Votes)
No: 7% (1 Votes)
“This appears to be an authentic message chain, and we are reviewing how an inadvertent number was added to the chain,” Hughes said.
“The thread is a demonstration of the deep and thoughtful policy coordination between senior officials,” he added. “The ongoing success of the Houthi operation demonstrates that there were no threats to troops or national security.”
The texts appeared to display the senior Trump officials debating the merits of the strikes.
Vance raised concerns about helping Europe with no guarantee of reciprocation, seeing that the Houthi attacks were disproportionately affecting their trade routes.
“I am not sure the president is aware how inconsistent this is with his message on Europe right now,” Vance wrote his colleagues. “There’s a further risk that we see a moderate to severe spike in oil prices. I am willing to support the consensus of the team and keep these concerns to myself. But there is a strong argument for delaying this a month, doing the messaging work on why this matters, seeing where the economy is, etc.”
Hegseth told Vance, “I understand your concerns – and fully support you raising w/ POTUS.”
He also asserted that acting quickly would avoid making the United States look “indecisive” and ensure that the ceasefire between Israel and Gaza would not fall apart if Israel acted first.
“Whether it’s now or several weeks from now, it will have to be the United States that reopens these shipping lanes,” Waltz offered. “Per the president’s request we are working with DOD and State to determine how to compile the cost associated and levy them on the Europeans.”
Vance reiterated, “I just hate bailing Europe out again,” but told Hegseth “If you think we should do it let’s go.”
Hegseth answered, “VP: I fully share your loathing of European free-loading. It’s PATHETIC. But Mike is correct, we are the only ones on the planet (on our side of the ledger) who can do this. Nobody else even close.”
Advertise with The Western Journal and reach millions of highly engaged readers, while supporting our work. Advertise Today.
