President Donald Trump and White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt addressed the inadvertent inclusion of The Atlantic Editor-in-Chief Jeffrey Goldberg in a text chain discussing U.S. military strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen. This incident was highlighted in a story published by Goldberg on Monday, which detailed conversations among top Trump administration officials, including Vice President JD Vance and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, regarding the timing and strategy for the strikes.
The White House confirmed the authenticity of the group chat and stated that it is investigating how Goldberg was added. Leavitt criticized Goldberg's portrayal of the situation, asserting that no "war plans" were discussed and that no classified information was shared. She emphasized the administration's commitment to secure communication among its officials.
Trump expressed confidence in National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, who was implicated in the mixup, suggesting that it was a minor error in an otherwise successful operation. He noted that this incident marked a rare glitch in recent communications.
In the messages reviewed by The Atlantic, Vance voiced concerns about the military action's alignment with Trump's broader messaging, particularly regarding potential economic repercussions, such as rising oil prices. He suggested that delaying the strikes might be prudent.
In response to the article, Hegseth labeled Goldberg a discredited journalist and denied that any war plans were being discussed. Conversely, Goldberg contended that sensitive military details were indeed communicated in the chat, which he chose not to disclose in his report to protect American personnel.
The White House reiterated that the military operations against the Houthis were carried out successfully and posed no threats to national security.