A significant security breach at the center of the Trump administration has emerged, following the inclusion of journalist Jeffrey Goldberg in a classified Signal messaging group. The group comprised high-ranking officials, including Vice-President JD Vance, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, and National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, who discussed military operations aimed at the Iran-backed Houthi forces in Yemen. According to Goldberg's report, he was exposed to classified military plans—including targets, weapons packages, and timings—shortly before U.S. air strikes commenced.
One of the critical revelations from this leak is Vance's reservations about the military action, as captured in the chat. He argued that the strikes primarily benefited European interests due to their reliance on the Suez Canal for trade, cautioning that such moves might escalate oil prices. Vance expressed a desire to delay any action for a month, indicating he believed that President Trump may not fully grasp the implications of U.S. military intervention aligning with Europe’s needs.
In the ensuing conversation, Hegseth expressed a similar disdain for European reliance on U.S. military support, calling it “PATHETIC” to continuously assist Europe. An unnamed participant suggested that the U.S. must negotiate for compensation post-strike, implying that American military engagements should yield economic returns, reinforcing the narrative of ‘free-loading’ European allies.
The chat also featured celebratory emojis following the successful strikes on Houthi forces, showcasing a stark contrast between the solemnity of military action and the buoyancy expressed in the group's private exchanges. Vance, amid concerns about messaging, attempted to redirect blame towards President Biden for alleged leniency towards Iran, further complicating the political discourse surrounding the strikes.
Goldberg, who found himself entangled in the unfolding narrative, received an unsolicited invitation to join the group on March 11 and was subsequently included in critical discussions two days later. The incident underlines the need for accountability as Democrats in Congress have called for inquiries into the breach. Despite the controversy, Trump claimed ignorance about the details but maintained his support for Waltz, amid assertions from the defence secretary that no actionable military plans were compromised in the leak.
