The Editor Who Was Accidentally Texted War Plans

Wed Mar 26 2025

This week, top Trump officials inadvertently shared secret U.S. military plans with a prominent journalist after mistakenly adding him to a group chat. The journalist, Jeffrey Goldberg, who is editor in chief at The Atlantic, discusses what he was thinking as he read the messages and what he makes of the fallout.

Summary

The Daily: Inside the Group Chat Planning to Bomb Yemen

Host: Rachel Abrams
Guest: Jeffrey Goldberg, Editor-in-Chief of The Atlantic
Release Date: March 26, 2025

Introduction

In this gripping episode of The Daily, Rachel Abrams delves into a startling breach of national security involving an accidental inclusion of journalist Jeffrey Goldberg in a high-level group chat among top Trump administration officials. This inadvertent addition led to the exposure of sensitive U.S. military plans targeting the Houthi rebels in Yemen.

The Accidental Inclusion and Initial Reactions (00:25 - 06:18)

The episode opens with Rachel Abrams introducing the unprecedented situation where Jeffrey Goldberg was mistakenly added to a Signal group chat named "Houthi PC Small Group," comprising key figures such as National Security Advisor Michael Waltz, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, and others.

Goldberg (00:35): "I received a message request on Signal from someone identified as Michael Waltz... It struck me as unusual."

Initially skeptical about the authenticity of the group, Goldberg dismissed the invitation, suspecting it to be a hoax or an attempt to entrap him as a journalist. Despite his reservations, his journalistic instincts compelled him to monitor the conversation.

Inside the Group Chat: Discussions and Contents (06:18 - 13:35)

As Goldberg continued to observe, the group began deliberating on escalating military actions against the Houthis, reflecting internal debates within the administration.

Goldberg (03:20): "The first text in this chain is from Michael Waltz setting up this discussion group... one after another, principal members respond."

Key discussions included:

Disagreements on Military Strategy: J.D. Vance expressed skepticism about ramping up attacks, questioning the necessity and the message it sends to Europe.
- Vance (05:07): "I disagree with the decision to attack Yemen at least... We're sending the wrong message to Europe."
Interventionist Perspectives: In contrast, figures like Michael Waltz and Pete Hegseth advocated for a more assertive approach, criticizing European nations for their lackluster support.
- Hegseth (13:39): "These are the most significant airstrikes since President Trump returned to the White House."

The conversation painted a vivid picture of internal divisions and the strategic calculus behind military interventions.

The Confirmation of Attacks and Aftermath (13:35 - 22:09)

On March 15th, Goldberg received a detailed attack plan within the group chat, complete with timings and weapon specifications. The imminent strike was forecasted meticulously:

Goldberg (12:31): "The text promises that the effects of the first wave of attacks will be felt in Yemen at 1:45 PM Eastern Time."

True to the schedule, U.S. military assets commenced operations against Houthi targets precisely as outlined, confirming the group's legitimacy.

Following the attack, the group chat saw a mix of updates and celebratory emojis, further solidifying the reality of the situation.

Goldberg (14:34): "During the attacks... there's the flexed bicep emoji, the fire emoji, the American flag emoji."

Realizing the gravity of the situation, Goldberg made the crucial decision to exit the group chat, anticipating scrutiny and potential backlash.

Official Responses and Political Reactions (22:09 - 35:54)

The episode transitions to the political fallout following Goldberg's revelations. In a contentious Senate Intelligence Committee hearing, officials like CIA Director John Ratcliffe and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard denied that any classified material was shared within the group chat, sparking skepticism among senators.

Senator Angus King (36:26): "Wouldn't that be classified? What if that had been made public that morning before the attack took place?"

Meanwhile, Republican figures like Pete Hegseth dismissed Goldberg's claims, labeling him as a "deceitful and highly discredited so-called journalist."

Hegseth (18:38): "This is utterly unprofessional. There's been no apology, there has been no recognition of the gravity of this error."

Goldberg critiqued the administration's response, drawing parallels to previous security lapses under different political leaders and highlighting a perceived double standard.

Goldberg (27:37): "If this is not a big deal, then people like Pete Hegseth and Marco Rubio and all the rest have to go back into time and say that Hillary Clinton wasn't a big deal either."

Security Implications and Risks (35:54 - 25:58)

A significant portion of the discussion centers on the severe security risks posed by the breach:

Goldberg (20:00): "If somehow the Houthis understood that American warplanes were heading in their direction, that would give them conceivably more time to prepare a response, which would obviously put the pilots of those planes in danger."

Goldberg elaborates on the vulnerabilities of using platforms like Signal for sensitive communications, emphasizing the potential for foreign intelligence services to exploit such breaches.

Goldberg (23:10): "Everybody's talking about how secure Signal is, but foreign intelligence services spend a lot of time trying to target the actual devices that belong to government officials."

He underscores the importance of adhering to stringent communication protocols to safeguard national security and prevent future lapses.

Conclusion and Insights from Jeffrey Goldberg (35:54 - End)

Jeffrey Goldberg reflects on the broader implications of the incident for journalism and national security. He advocates for accountability and transparency, emphasizing the role of the free press in holding government officials accountable.

Goldberg (33:13): "The idea of holding government officials accountable is that you make the world a better place by telling the citizens what's going on and what the government is doing."

He remains steadfast in his commitment to investigative journalism, despite facing personal attacks and challenges from political adversaries.

Goldberg (30:26): "Someone has to just keep trying to do accountability journalism. Even though there are a lot of pressures on people not to do accountability journalism."

The episode concludes with a sobering contemplation on the state of national security protocols and the essential role of the media in a democratic society.

Key Takeaways

Unprecedented Security Breach: The accidental inclusion of a journalist in a high-level government group chat exposed critical flaws in communication protocols.
Internal Administration Divisions: The group chat revealed stark disagreements within the Trump administration regarding military strategies in Yemen.
Political Fallout and Double Standards: The administration's dismissive responses mirrored past controversies, raising concerns about consistent standards in handling security breaches.
Critical Role of Journalism: Jeffrey Goldberg's experience underscores the indispensable role of the free press in uncovering and addressing governmental missteps.

This episode of The Daily offers a compelling examination of the intersection between journalism, national security, and political accountability, highlighting the fragile balance necessary to maintain both transparency and safety in governmental operations.