Trump claims ignorance of bombshell report on secret war plans text chain: 'Don't know anything about it'

The Atlantic’s Jeffrey Goldberg was added to a Signal group where multiple top Trump officials were coordinating military strikes on Houthi terrorists
PUBLISHED MAR 25, 2025
When a pool reporter pressed Donald Trump about The Atlantic’s shocking revelations, he denied knowing anything about it (C-SPAN)
When a pool reporter pressed Donald Trump about The Atlantic’s shocking revelations, he denied knowing anything about it (C-SPAN)

WASHINGTON, DC: Washington was rocked Monday, March 24, when a bombshell report claimed that members of the Trump administration had been casually discussing highly sensitive war plans over a Signal group chat - and somehow The Atlantic’s editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg got a front-row seat to it all.

President Donald Trump, however, claims he had no idea any of it was happening.

The Atlantic’s Goldberg revealed that he was accidentally added to a private Signal group earlier this month where multiple top Trump officials were allegedly coordinating military strikes on Yemen’s Houthi terrorists.

Among the key players in the chat were Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, and Vice President JD Vance.

Goldberg says he got in thanks to Trump’s National Security Advisor, Mike Waltz, who somehow sent him an invite.

Trump denies knowledge about alleged leak

The media pounced on Trump for an answer no sooner than the news hit the headlines. When a pool reporter pressed him about The Atlantic’s shocking revelations, Trump denied knowing anything about it and threw shade at the publication itself, Mediaite reported.

“I don’t know anything about it,” Trump shot back. "I’m not a big fan of The Atlantic. To me, it’s a magazine that’s going out of business. I think it’s not much of a magazine, but I know nothing about it. You’re saying that they had what?"



 

The reporter explained that the claim was about his top officials discussing war strategy on Signal.

“Having to do with what? Having to do with what? What were they talking about?” Trump demanded.

“The Houthis,” the reporter clarified.

"With the Houthis. You mean the attack on the Houthis? Well, it couldn’t have been very effective because the attack was very effective, I can tell you that. I don’t know anything about it. You’re telling me about it for the first time," Trump responded.

The accidental invite that blew the lid off

Goldberg detailed how he was unexpectedly invited to an encrypted chat labeled “Houthi PC small group” - a cozy little corner of Signal where national security officials were allegedly planning airstrikes like they were ordering takeout.

In the chat, National Security Advisor Mike Waltz directed his deputy Alex Wong to assemble a ‘tiger team’ - a specialized task force meant to coordinate US actions against the Houthis.

But Goldberg reports that Trump’s top officials were actively debating bombing Yemen in the chat.

Apparently, Vice President JD Vance was hesitant, but Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was all in. And just hours before the March 15 military campaign against the Houthis began, Hegseth allegedly dropped some seriously classified intel into the chat.



 

Goldberg claims that Hegseth outlined key operational details - including specific targets, the types of weapons the US would use, and the sequencing of the attacks.

While Goldberg chose not to publish those details, he described the use of a Signal group chat for this level of military coordination as "shockingly reckless."

Who else was in the chat?

This wasn’t just some casual group thread with a handful of advisors—the chat reportedly included some of the most powerful people in Trump’s administration.

Among them were Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, and senior National Security Council officials.

Trump’s nominee for National Counterterrorism Center director Joe Kent was apparently on the Signal chain too - despite not yet being confirmed by the Senate.

Naturally, the National Security Council had to scramble to respond. Spokesperson Brian Hughes confirmed that the chat group appeared to be authentic - which means this wasn’t just some wild conspiracy theory.

ARLINGTON, VA - SEPTEMBER 26:  Aerial photo of the Pentagon in Arlington, Virgina on September 26, 2
Aerial photo of the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia on September 26, 2003 (Andy Dunaway/USAF via Getty Images)

Meanwhile, Trump’s administration has been trying to downplay the debacle, arguing that SGEs (Special Government Employees) and top officials regularly use encrypted apps for secure communication.

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online

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