A simple glitch, an oversight, or perhaps a situation blown out of proportion? These terms were frequently invoked by US President Donald Trump and his supporters in an attempt to diminish the significance of an accidental incident—the unintentional inclusion of journalist Jeffrey Goldberg in a chat group comprising over a dozen high-ranking US officials who were discussing military strategies for Yemen.
When The Atlantic magazine unveiled this story on Monday, it proved to be a major revelation—arguably the first real challenge to President Trump’s second term in office. As the capital reacted with shock, the administration launched its defense, initially assigning blame squarely to Goldberg, suggesting that he had stealthily infiltrated the conversation.
National Security Advisor Mike Waltz labeled Goldberg a “loser,” though this description amusingly turned out to be the name associated with his invitation to the Signal chat. Waltz claimed ignorance of Goldberg’s involvement.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth took the critique a step further, referring to Goldberg as “a deceitful and highly discredited so-called journalist who’s made a profession of peddling hoaxes time and time again,” as he addressed reporters. Meanwhile, administration officials contended that no classified information had been disclosed, thus deeming the episode insignificant.
As they might have hoped, this was far from the end of the story. By Wednesday morning, The Atlantic published the entire chat, encouraging readers to evaluate for themselves whether classified information had indeed been shared. The screenshots were revealing. Hegseth’s messages contained specific timelines for upcoming strikes and details on military assets involved in these operations.
“Weather is FAVORABLE,” he wrote, adding, “just CONFIRMED with CENTCOM, we are a GO for missile launch.” He continued with, “1215et: F-18s LAUNCH (1st strike package),” and “1415: Strike Drones on Target (THIS IS WHEN THE FIRST BOMBS WILL DEFINITELY DROP, pending earlier ‘Trigger Based’ targets).”
In a show of camaraderie, Vice President JD Vance assured he would “say a prayer for victory,” while Waltz later celebrated the apparent success of the operation with a barrage of emojis depicting a fist bump, the American flag, and flames.
Members of the House Intelligence Committee quickly focused their attention on the specifics of the military plans during their cross-examination of senior officials, including Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and CIA Director John Ratcliffe, both suspected to be members of the Signal chat. Congressman Joaquin Castro firmly declared, “The idea that this information, if it was presented to our committee, would not be classified—y’all know it was a lie.” He followed with, “And to say that it isn’t is a lie to the country.”
Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi stated, “Hegseth had disclosed military plans as well as classified information. He needs to resign immediately, and a full investigation needs to be undertaken regarding whether other similar Signal chats are occurring in this administration.” Things escalated when Congressman Jimmy Gomez questioned whether Hegseth was intoxicated while sending the texts. Gabbard diplomatically refrained from answering, but Ratcliffe expressed outrage, categorically rejecting such insinuations. “That’s an offensive line of questioning, the answer’s no,” he asserted, leading to a heated exchange.
By Wednesday afternoon, the White House had begun to alter its narrative, although criticisms of the journalist persisted. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt branded Goldberg an “anti-Trump hater” who “loves manufacturing and pushing hoaxes” during her daily briefing. Furthermore, other reporters faced hostility for inquiring if the chat could jeopardize American lives, with Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene dismissing a British journalist, saying, “Nobody gives a crap about your opinion or your reporting.”
As the focus shifted from the messages’ details to the purported success of the strikes on Houthi targets, the Signal chat indicated that the strike had led to the death of a “top missile guy” in a strike on “his girlfriend’s building.” According to reports from the Houthi-run health ministry, that day’s bombing raids resulted in 31 casualties, including women and children, with over 100 others wounded. Attorney General Pam Bondi responded, “What we should be talking about is it was a very successful mission.” She dismissed the possibility of a Department of Justice investigation concerning the Signal chat, suggesting, “If you want to talk about classified information, talk about what was in Hillary Clinton’s home,” referencing the former Secretary of State’s controversial use of private emails.
During the 2016 political firestorm regarding Clinton, Hegseth, then a commentator on Fox News, claimed that any security professional would be “fired on the spot for this type of conduct.” Waltz and Secretary of State Marco Rubio echoed similar sentiments. It was likely weighing heavily on Clinton’s mind when she composed an op-ed for The New York Times stating, “How much dumber will this get?” She wrote, “It’s not the hypocrisy that bothers me; it’s the stupidity.” Her critique emphasized that senior Trump administration officials were endangering troops by sharing military strategies over a commercial messaging app and inadvertently inviting a journalist to the conversation. “It was not just dangerous; it was dumb,” she concluded.
As the initial public reaction began to emerge, it appeared many Americans shared her indignation. A YouGov poll revealed that 53% of respondents regarded the incident as “very serious,” including a significant proportion of Republicans. There were whispers of unrest among military personnel, with off-the-record interviews published by The New York Times indicating a decline in confidence regarding the Pentagon’s focus on their safety. In Congress, Republican senators on the Armed Services Committee called for a formal inquiry.
Not everyone agreed with the need for further scrutiny. Republican Senator Kevin Cramer stated, “It’s time to move on. The facts are not going to change—I don’t know that there are any more that could be revealed.”
As the week wound to a close, no accountability had been established, and the administration seemed eager to move forward. JD Vance traveled to Greenland—a territory President Trump had historically expressed interest in acquiring—while Hegseth journeyed to Asia to announce the deployment of another American missile system in the Philippines, aimed at “reestablishing deterrence” against “China’s aggression.” By the time they returned to Washington, the fervor over what is now dubbed “Signalgate” may have subsided. Nonetheless, this incident has undoubtedly served as a significant test for Trump’s new administration, one likely to linger in the public’s memory for some time.
Edited By Ali Musa
Axadle Times International – Monitoring
