More messages from a group chat of senior White House officials discussing airstrikes in Yemen have been released.
The group accidentally added a journalist to a sensitive Signal group chat called “Houthi PC small group”, in which they talked about classified military plans.
Vice President JD Vance and Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, were in the group as well as a journalist, The Atlantic editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg.
After watching conversations play out between the officials, the editor wrote up how he was privy to chats over operational details, as well as other sensitive information.
Trump said the texting of sensitive plans was 'the only glitch in two months'
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The group accidentally added a journalist to a sensitive Signal group chat called 'Houthi PC small group'
ADEM AY | UNSPLASHThe strikes eventually took place on March 15 and saw over 50 people die.
A new article published in The Atlantic today includes extensive screenshots of the text exchanges, which Goldberg said were in the public interest.
The text chain began at 11.44am EDT on March 15, just 31 minutes before the first US warplanes were launched.
Goldberg said that on the day of the attack, "the discussion veered toward the operational".
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Vice President JD Vance was one of the members of the group chat
REUTERS
The strikes eventually took place on March 15 and saw over 50 people die
ReutersHegseth sent a long message detailing plans for strikes. It said: “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.”
Hegseth sent a long message detailing plans for strikes in the chat
REUTERSFollowing the update, Mike Walz later texted at 1.48pm giving real-time intelligence about the attack. This was met with many positive reactions from group chat members. Hours later, Hegseth posted an update that attacks would go on through the night.
The Atlantic initially did not publish the full details of the messages, saying it did not want to publish classified information.
However, following claims that the messages were fabricated, Goldberg said he believes that "people should see the texts in order to reach their own conclusions"
Signal is a popular free messaging service to rival the likes of WhatsApp and Telegram
SIGNAL PRESS OFFICEPreviously released messages show members complaining about defending "free-loading Europe" whilst discussing the Yemen operation.
In the leaked chat, Vance expressed concerns about the operation's public perception, writing: "I just hate bailing Europe out again. Three per cent of US trade runs through the Suez. Forty per cent of European trade does."
Hegseth responded: "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."
Trump said the texting of sensitive plans was "the only glitch in two months". He said he believed the chat contained "no classified information".
