Leaked Signal chats reveal US officials JD Vance,Tulsi Gabbard, others coordinating Yemen strikes: Netizens react

More than a week after the U.S. launched a series of "decisive and powerful" airstrikes on Houthi rebels, a startling security lapse has emerged—this time, from within the Trump administration itself.

The American military is among the strongest in the world, and safeguarding its operations with absolute secrecy is paramount. However, in a move that can only be described as reckless, top members of Trump’s national security team reportedly discussed military strategy and shared candid opinions about global affairs on the encrypted messaging app Signal.


Fortunately for the USA, the information was not accessible to America’s adversaries, but unfortunately for the Trump administration, the information did reach a prominent political journalist, Jeffrey Goldberg. In a bombshell report for The Atlantic titled The Trump Administration Accidentally Texted Me Its War Plans, Goldberg exposed the entire episode. The whole ordeal has sent shockwaves, with the jolts being felt across the globe. Goldberg has assured that he has withheld some chats that held sensitive information.

How did Goldberg have access to the chats?

In his article, Goldberg explained how on March 11, 2025, he was added to the chat, named “Houthi PC small group”, by White House National Security Adviser Michael Waltz. The chat included high-profile members like Vice-President JD Vance, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, White House chief of staff Susie Wiles, and Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, among others.


He further revealed that the group not only debated policy but also discussed operational details regarding the impending U.S. military strike, offering an unusual near-real-time glimpse into the inner workings of Trump’s senior national security team.

One particularly striking moment from the chat involved Michael Waltz, who wrote, “Amazing job,” to the group just minutes after U.S. strikes hit Houthi targets in Yemen on Saturday, March 15. He followed his message with emojis of a U.S. flag, a fist, and fire. Other members too reacted with positive affirmations on the news. MAR or Marco Rubio congratulated Pete Hegseth and said, "Good Job Pete and your team". "I will say a prayer for victory," Vance said as updates on the strikes were given. Two other members added prayer emojis, Goldberg reported.

How many people were included in the chat?
As per Goldberg, the chat included 18 members who were part of the principals committee that was to “coordinate with over the next couple days and over the weekend.”

Let us take a look at all the members of the group and their roles in the Trump administration:


Michael Waltz- National Security Advisor



Pete Hegseth- Secretary of Defense


J D Vance- Vice President

Marco Rubio(MAR)- Secretary of State


Joe Kent- Nominee Director of the National Counterterrorism Center


Tulsi Gabbard(TG)- Director of National Intelligence


John Ratcliffe- CIA Director


Stephen Miller (“S M”) – Deputy White House Chief of Staff


Steve Witkoff – Special Envoy for the Middle East and Ukraine


Brian McCormack – National Security Council Official


Dan Caldwell – Department of Defense Liaison


Mike Needham – Counselor to the State Department


Andy Baker – Representative from the Vice President’s Office


Dan Katz – Treasury Department Liaison


Jeffrey Goldberg (accidental) – Editor in Chief, The Atlantic. Added inadvertently.



How did people react

Ever since the chats came to light, there has been a huge uproar on the internet. One user wrote, “Trump administration texts reporter WAR PLANS. Great administration. FIRE THEM ALL!” People have also come up with bizarre conspiracy theories, some believe that the chat leak was intentional, as they wanted to make the Europeans understand that they are not satisfied with the latter's “unwillingness to pull its weight militarily.”

There has been a flurry of reactions from the Democrats, too, who are calling for the resignation of everyone involved in the chat. DNC Chair Ken Martin said in a statement that Hegseth should resign or be fired: “Hegseth—and everyone else involved—put on a stunning display of recklessness and disregard for our national security,” Martin said. “This is one of the most stunning breaches of military intelligence I have read about in a very, very long time,” said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer in a floor speech. Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg called it the “highest level of f--kup imaginable” in a post on X.


Trump, on the other hand, has shrugged off any association with the whole incident. When asked by reporters, he said, “I don’t know anything about it. I’m not a big fan of The Atlantic.”