A recent leak of a US war plan for Yemen revealed classified details just hours before the first bombs were dropped. This information was shared in a private group chat that included a journalist, exposing targets, weapons, and attack sequences. While this is the first reported intel leak during President Donald Trump’s second term, it’s not the first time his administration has faced such security breaches. During his first term, similar incidents occurred, raising concerns over how sensitive information was handled.
The Yemen leak, which occurred through an encrypted messaging app, wasn’t an isolated incident. It's just the latest in a series of security lapses under Trump’s leadership. In his first term, many classified details were unintentionally made public, including information about military deployments, intelligence operations, and even the location of US nuclear weapons. These lapses have raised serious questions about the administration’s approach to safeguarding sensitive data.
One notable example came in 2017 when Trump shared highly classified information about ISIS with Russia's foreign minister during a meeting in the Oval Office. This information, which had been shared with the US by an ally, wasn’t meant to be disclosed to Russia. It was just one of several instances where Trump’s off-the-cuff remarks led to the release of confidential details.
In another incident, during heightened tensions with North Korea in 2017, Trump casually told the President of the Philippines that the US had two nuclear submarines stationed off the coast of North Korea. “We have two nuclear submarines,” he said, providing far more information than was necessary. Such remarks, especially during times of high tension, raised concerns about the president's handling of sensitive information.
Trump also made waves in 2018, when he posted a video on social media during a surprise visit to US troops in Iraq. In the video, he posed with Navy SEALs, inadvertently revealing the identities of members from Seal Team Five—an elite and secretive unit. This was a clear security lapse, as such information is meant to remain confidential.
Another instance came in 2019 when Trump tweeted a detailed image from a US spy satellite showing the destruction of an Iranian spaceport. The image was so precise that it led some to question how much the US had revealed about its surveillance capabilities.
In an interview later that same year, Trump also boasted about a “super-secret” nuclear weapons system. This comment led to speculation that he had inadvertently confirmed the existence of a new low-yield nuclear warhead deployed on US submarines.
The Yemen leak is just the most recent example of Trump’s careless handling of classified information. While his administration worked to downplay these incidents, it’s clear that the security lapses were far from isolated.
