Atlantic Editor Accidentally Included in Trump National Security Group Chat
The Atlantic’s editor, Jeffrey Goldberg, was mistakenly included in a Trump national security group chat, resulting in the accidental sharing of sensitive military plans. The National Security Council is investigating the incident amid significant security concerns regarding classified information transmission. Responses varied from criticism of Goldberg’s portrayal of events to assertions of secure policy coordination by officials.
In a perplexing incident, Jeffrey Goldberg, the editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, was mistakenly included in a group chat comprising senior officials from President Donald Trump’s national security team. This occurred on March 13 within the Signal messaging application, where Goldberg received sensitive information regarding military operations reportedly targeting the Iran-aligned Houthi rebel group.
Goldberg’s inclusion in the chat came from an account named Michael Waltz, who leads the National Security Council. Just one day post-inclusion, critical discussions emerged concerning military strategies, including air-strike targets and operational timing, compromising the administration’s adherence to security protocols. Cybersecurity experts are concerned that communications on non-secure platforms like Signal could potentially breach regulations under the Espionage Act.
Goldberg expressed his astonishment, noting, “I could not believe that the national-security leadership of the United States would communicate on Signal about imminent war plans.” During the chaotic exchange, crucial details about a CIA officer’s identity were also disclosed. The authenticity of the group is confirmed by the White House’s National Security Council, which stated they are investigating how the erroneous addition occurred.
However, criticisms emerged against Goldberg, notably from Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, who labeled him a “deceitful and highly discredited so-called journalist,” dismissing the notion that actual war plans were being transmitted. Jack Reed, the senior Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, slammed the incident as a significant national security failure, underscoring the necessity for rigorous communication security in military operations.
Donald Trump, when questioned about the incident, claimed ignorance of the details, summarily dismissing The Atlantic as a declining publication. Republican congressman Mike Lawler emphasized the gravity of transmitting classified information through unsecured channels and called for enhanced safeguards to prevent such incidents in the future. Despite skepticism about the authenticity of the message chain, dialogue within the group also touched upon operational risks, including concerns raised by Vice-President JD Vance regarding potential implications for oil prices if the military action proceeded as planned.
The unauthorized inclusion of Jeffrey Goldberg in a sensitive military operations group chat raises significant national security concerns. The incident underscores the importance of secure communication channels for discussing classified information. As investigations proceed within the National Security Council, it is imperative to enhance safeguards to ensure that unauthorized access to military operational details does not lapse again in the future.
Original Source: www.abc.net.au
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