Explosive White House Signal group chat messages revealed

In what is rapidly evolving into one of the biggest crises facing the new US administration, claims from top national security brass have been blown apart.

Claims by Donald Trump’s top security brass they did not discuss war plans in a Signal messaging group have been blown apart after the journalist included in the group chat released screenshots exposing notice of attack timings, weapons and targets.

In what is rapidly evolving into one of the biggest crises facing the new US administration, senior White House figures have been accused of an “extraordinary breach” of national security over revelations they used commercial app Signal to discuss imminent military strikes in Yemen.

The 19-person group chat involved senior figures including Vice President JD Vance, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, who has admitted to mistakenly adding journalist Jeffrey Goldberg to the group.Key White House figures had sought to downplay the significance of the breach, with Ms Gabbard telling a Senate Intelligence Hearing the messages contained no classified material and Mr Waltz saying “nobody was texting war plans”.

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard attends an annual worldwide threats assessment hearing in Washington, DC. Photo: Getty Images via AFP

But Mr Goldberg, editor of The Atlantic magazine, on Wednesday refuted their claims, releasing a series of the messages reportedly exchanged ahead of US strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen that killed at least 50 people.

“TEAM UPDATE: TIME NOW (1144et): Weather is FAVORABLE. Just CONFIRMED w/CENTCOM we are a GO for mission launch. 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),” one message attributed to Mr Hegseth said.

The Atlantic reported the message was sent about two hours before the first bombs dropped.

Signal, an encrypted communications app widely regarded as more protected than conventional phone messages but still vulnerable to hackers, is not considered to be a secure government channel.

Mr Hegseth and Mr Waltz are facing mounting pressure to resign over the scandal.

“The so-called Secretary of Defense recklessly and casually disclosed highly sensitive war plans – including the timing of a pending attack, possible strike targets and the weapons to be used – during an unclassified national security group chat that inexplicably included a reporter,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries wrote to Mr Trump.

“His behaviour shocks the conscience, risked American lives and likely violated the law.”

The editor in chief of the Atlantic magazine was included on a messaging chain in which senior members of the Trump administration discussed strikes against the Houthi terror group in Yemen.

The editor in chief of the Atlantic magazine was included on a messaging chain in which senior members of the Trump administration discussed strikes in Yemen.

The White House has sought to downplay the incident and struggled to stick to consistent messaging.

Press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters Signal was an “approved app” and “the most secure and efficient way to communicate”, accusing the media and Democrats of trying to “sew chaos” in the White House.

Mr Trump took aim at the app itself, suggesting Mr Goldberg may have been added to the group chat through a security breach.

“I think Signal could be defective to be honest with you,” Mr Trump said.

He went on to attack Mr Goldberg’s publication, describing The Atlantic as a “failed magazine”.

“Nobody gives a damn about it,” he said.

The President described the scrutiny as a “witch hunt” and criticised the former administration, saying “Joe Biden should have done this attack on Yemen”.

He also criticised reporters for focusing on the Signal group chat and not on the strike itself.“There was no harm done, because the attack was unbelievably successful,” he said.

US President Donald Trump speaks in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC. Picture: AFP

Mr Waltz said he took full responsibility for Mr Goldberg’s inclusion in the group chat he created before suggesting he was “suspicious” about how the journalist was added, saying he did not have his number and had never messaged him.

He said Elon Musk had offered to personally investigate how Mr Goldberg was included in the chat and whether it was deliberate or through “some other technical means”.

“It looked like someone else,” Mr Waltz said.

Mr Goldberg said he withheld many of the messages from the first release over concerns it could be useful to a military adversary but said he chose to release more after attempts by the government to downplay the breach.

“There is a clear public interest in disclosing the sort of information that Trump advisers included in nonsecure communications channels, especially because senior administration figures are attempting to downplay the significance of the messages that were shared,” he wrote.

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth speaks to reporters. Picture: AFP

In one of the group messages, Mr Waltz wrote “The first target – their top missile guy – we had positive ID of him walking into his girlfriend’s building and it’s now collapsed”.

The Vice President responded “excellent” and Mr Waltz replied with fist, fire and American flag emojis.

In another message, Mr Hegseth wrote: “CENTCOM was/is on point”.

“Great job all. More strikes ongoing for hours tonight, and will provide full initial report tomorrow. But on time, on target and good readouts so far.”

Members of the group congratulated each other on a job well done.

‘WE DON’T GIVE A C**P’: REPUBLICAN’S EXTRAORDINARY SPRAY

Republican firebrand Marjorie Taylor Greene has launched an extraordinary spray at a member of the foreign press who attempted to ask her about the widening ‘Signalgate’ scandal embroiling the US government.

The Georgia Republican said “why don’t you go back to your country?” after Sky News reporter Martha Kelner attempted to ask her about security concerns arising from top security officials using Signal to discuss military strikes on Houthi terrorists in Yemen.

But before the journalist could finish asking her question, Greene interrupted asking “Wait, what country are you from?”

When Ms Kelner said she was from the UK, the congresswoman launched into a tirade.

“We don’t give a crap about your opinion and your reporting,” Ms Greene said.

“Why don’t you go back to your country where you have a major migrant problem?”

As Ms Kelner continued to ask about the Signal blunder and whether Greene was concerned it had put American lives at risk, the MAGA identity continued to rant.

“Do you care about people from your country?” she asked.

“What about all the women that are raped by migrants?”

In March 2024 Greene made headlines for another blunt response to a British journalist, telling a former BBC reporter “why don’t you f*** off?” during a filmed interview.