Atlantic Editor Jeffrey Goldberg on Accidental Inclusion in Trump's Yemen War Plans Chat

Accidental Inclusion in War Plans Chat

• 💡 Jeffrey Goldberg, editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, was mistakenly added to a Signal group chat discussing detailed operational plans for US military strikes on Yemen.
• ⚠️ Goldberg initially suspected a hoax or disinformation campaign until receiving specific attack plans from Pete Hegseth, confirming the chat's reality.
• 🎯 The chat, named 'Houthi PC Small Group,' included 18 members of the Trump cabinet and discussed targeting, weapon packages, and attack sequencing.

Security Breach and Recklessness

• 🚨 Goldberg describes the situation as an obvious, ridiculous security breach and a level of recklessness he hasn't seen in years of national security reporting.
• 🚫 None of the 18 members questioned the use of Signal for such sensitive discussions or inquired about the identity of 'JG' (Goldberg's initials).
• 🔒 The use of open-source messaging apps like Signal for classified discussions is a violation of protocol, which mandates using secure, government-approved systems.

Internal Disagreements and Decision-Making

• 🧠 The chat revealed internal policy discussions, including Vice President JD Vance's disagreement with the president on the Yemen strike due to potential oil price spikes and inconsistency with European policy.
• 🗣️ Vance argued for delaying the strikes, expressing concerns that the president might not fully grasp the ramifications.
• 🔒 Despite disagreements, discussions were shut down by 'SM' (likely Stephen Miller), with the president's decision being the final word.

Reporting and White House Reaction

• 📰 Goldberg eventually removed himself from the chat after confirming its authenticity and began writing the story to expose the security lapse.
• 🧐 He found it noteworthy that the White House, after being alerted, had the president claim not to know Goldberg.
• 🤔 Speculation exists about who was intended to be in the chat instead of Goldberg, with possibilities ranging from mistyped names to a deliberate, albeit convoluted, attempt to showcase their seriousness on Yemen.