War Planning Info Leaked to Journalist by Hegseth & Waltz

Clear Facts

• The White House confirmed that President Trump’s national security team inadvertently leaked war planning details to a publication.
• The leak occurred through a Signal group chat that mistakenly included an editor-in-chief of a major publication.
• President Trump was unaware of the leak and stated he was hearing about it for the first time.

In an unexpected turn of events, the White House has acknowledged a significant blunder involving the accidental leak of sensitive war planning details to a major publication. This mishap unfolded when President Trump’s national security team mistakenly included the editor-in-chief of the publication in a Signal group chat.

The editor published an article revealing that he had been inadvertently added to a chat involving high-profile cabinet members. Among those identified or inferred to be part of this chat were Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, State Secretary Marco Rubio, and National Security Adviser Mike Waltz. The chat, titled “Houthi PC small group,” discussed military plans targeting the Houthis, with Hegseth sharing operational details.

“At 11:44 a.m., the account labeled ‘Pete Hegseth’ posted in Signal a ‘TEAM UPDATE,’” the editor wrote. He refrained from quoting the update, citing the potential risk to American military and intelligence personnel if adversaries accessed the information.

The editor further elaborated on the gravity of the situation, stating that Hegseth’s post contained specifics on forthcoming strikes in Yemen, including targets and the sequence of attacks. He described waiting in a supermarket parking lot to see if the chat was genuine, only to find reports of explosions in Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, shortly thereafter.

The White House National Security Council spokesperson, Brian Hughes, confirmed the authenticity of the messages and mentioned an investigation into how the editor’s number was added. “The thread is a demonstration of the deep and thoughtful policy coordination between senior officials,” Hughes stated.

President Trump, on the other hand, was caught off guard by the revelation. “I don’t know anything about it,” Trump remarked when questioned about the leak.

The chat also revealed internal discussions among cabinet officials weighing the decision to attack the Houthis. Vice President J. D. Vance expressed concerns about the timing and potential economic repercussions, suggesting a delay might be prudent.

“I am not sure the president is aware how inconsistent this is with his message on Europe right now,” Vance reportedly wrote. Despite this, the administration proceeded with the plan.

After the attack, the group celebrated the operation’s success. Messages from users identified as “John Ratcliffe” and “MAR” (inferred to be Marco Rubio) praised the efforts, with emojis and congratulatory remarks exchanged among the participants.

In response to the incident, Vance’s office emphasized that he and President Trump are aligned on foreign policy matters. “The Vice President’s first priority is always making sure that the President’s advisers are adequately briefing him,” stated Will Martin, Vance’s communications director.

This incident underscores the critical importance of secure communication channels within national security operations, as even minor oversights can have significant consequences.

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