Senior Trump Officials Coordinate Yemen Bombings in Secret Chat with Journalist
Senior Trump administration officials, including Vice President JD Vance, utilized the encrypted chat app Signal to plan bombings against Houthi rebels in Yemen, inadvertently including journalist Jeffrey Goldberg. This incident raises concerns regarding security protocols for sensitive military discussions, especially regarding potential legal violations and the risk posed by using unsecured channels for classified information. The responses from officials highlight calls for improved safeguarding measures moving forward.
Recent revelations, as reported by Jeffrey Goldberg in The Atlantic, disclose that senior officials from the Trump administration, including Vice President JD Vance and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, coordinated bombing operations on Houthi rebels in Yemen through a Signal group chat. This chat inadvertently included Goldberg, raising significant concerns about the security and legality of such discussions among national security officials.
The group chat comprised 17 high-ranking officials, including White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles and National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, and discussed the specifics of the bombings and the reasoning behind targeting the Houthis. These discussions, which began on March 13, coincided with ongoing military operations, culminating in airstrikes that resulted in at least 53 civilian casualties.
National Security Council (NSC) spokesman Brian Hughes confirmed the authenticity of the chat. He characterized the coordination of the bombing as a display of effective policy alignment among senior officials, claiming there were no threats to U.S. troops or national security involved. However, he acknowledged that the administration was reviewing the situation regarding how an unintended participant became part of the chain.
Upon being questioned about the leak during a White House event, former President Trump denied awareness of the group chat discussions and expressed disdain for The Atlantic, further claiming the military strikes were indeed successful. Concurrently, striking operations extended into their tenth day, maintaining American military engagement in the region.
Goldberg’s account sheds light on the risks of using encrypted services like Signal for discussing classified military operations. A Defense Department memo explicitly prohibits using such platforms for transmitting sensitive government information. Lawmakers, including Senators Mark Warner and Chris Coons, voiced their concerns regarding potential violations of the Espionage Act due to the oversight.
In assessing the reactions to this incident, even some Republicans criticized the administration’s handling of classified information, reiterating the necessity for strict safeguarding measures against unauthorized disclosures of national security data.
The incident surrounding the Trump administration’s group chat on Signal highlights significant concerns regarding the security and legality of communications among senior officials related to military operations. The inadvertent inclusion of a journalist amplifies issues about potential breaches of confidentiality and violations of federal laws concerning classified information. The event has sparked widespread criticism from both political spectrums, emphasizing the need for stringent safeguards in managing classified discussions.
Original Source: ny1.com
Post Comment