The Atlantic has released the entire Signal chat, publishing a conversation between top Trump administration officials who shared the Yemen war plan hours before its execution.
The decision to release the unredacted texts by the news organisation was taken after US President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth repeatedly denied that the messages contained ‘classified war plans.’ White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt has also said that no classified information was posted to the Signal chat.
However, the leaked conversation, which Atlantic editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg was inadvertently added to, tells a different story.
The messages specify launch times for F-18 combat aircraft and MQ-9 drones, with the first strike commencing at 12:15 ET on March 15th and Hegseth can be seen sharing precise Houthi targets, timelines, and strike packages.
Even as the White House continues to downplay the breach of Yemen war plans, the exposé raises grave concerns about the Trump administration's handling of sensitive information and its potential consequences.
Very specific texts were revealed
What was revealed was jaw-dropping in its specificity and includes the type of information that is kept to a very close hold to protect the operational security of a military strike. But Hegseth’s spokesman, Sean Parnell, said in a statement Wednesday that “there were no classified materials or war plans shared. The Secretary was merely updating the group on a plan that was underway.”
The Pentagon and White House have tried to deflect criticism by attacking Goldberg and The Atlantic. The magazine and Goldberg, however, repeatedly reached out to the White House before and after publication to gain additional context on the Signal chat and ensure that publishing the full texts would not cause harm. In a response, Goldberg reported Wednesday, Leavitt described some of the information as sensitive and said the White House would prefer it not be published.
In the group chat, Hegseth posted multiple details about the impending strike, using military language and laying out when a “strike window” starts, where a “target terrorist” was located, the time elements around the attack and when various weapons and aircraft would be used in the strike.
He mentioned that the U.S. was “currently clean” on operational security.”
“Godspeed to our Warriors,” he wrote.
“1215et: F-18s LAUNCH (1st strike package)”
“1345: ‘Trigger Based’ F-18 1st Strike Window Starts (Target Terrorist is @ his Known Location so SHOULD BE ON TIME – also, Strike Drones Launch (MQ-9s)”
“1410: More F-18s LAUNCH (2nd strike package)”
“1415: Strike Drones on Target (THIS IS WHEN THE FIRST BOMBS WILL DEFINITELY DROP, pending earlier ‘Trigger Based’ targets)”
“1536 F-18 2nd Strike Starts – also, first sea-based Tomahawks launched.”
“MORE TO FOLLOW (per timeline)”“We are currently clean on OPSEC” — that is, operational security.
A strike package includes the personnel and weapons used in an attack, including Navy F-18 fighter aircraft. MQ-9s are armed drones. Tomahawks are ship-launched cruise missiles.
Goldberg has said he asked the White House if it opposed publication and that the White House responded that it would prefer he did not publish.
Top military official was not included in the chat
The chat was also notable for who it excluded: the only military attendee of the principals committee, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Adm. Christopher Grady is currently serving in that position in an acting capacity because Trump fired former chairman Gen. CQ Brown Jr. in February.
National security adviser Mike Waltz was authorized to decide whether to include the Joint Chiefs chairman in the principals committee discussion, “based on the policy relevance of attendees to the issues being considered, the need for secrecy on sensitive matters, staffing needs, and other considerations,” the White House said in a Jan. 20 memo.
The Pentagon said it would not comment on the issue, and it was not immediately clear why Grady, currently serving as the president’s top military adviser, would not be included in a discussion on military strikes.
Hegseth has refused to say whether he posted classified information onto Signal. He is traveling in the Indo-Pacific and to date has only scoffed at questions, saying he did not reveal “war plans.”
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and CIA Director John Ratcliffe told members of the Senate Intelligence Committee on Tuesday that it was up to Hegseth to determine whether the information he was posting was classified or not.
(with inputs from AP)
