TL;DR Summary:
The article by Jeffrey Goldberg recounts how he was mistakenly included in a private Signal group chat involving top Trump administration national security officials discussing imminent U.S. military strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen. Goldberg initially suspected the messages were part of a hoax or disinformation campaign, as it seemed implausible that senior officials, including Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, National Security Adviser Michael Waltz, and Vice President JD Vance, would use an unsecured messaging app for such sensitive discussions. However, as the conversation unfolded, it became clear that the chat was real, culminating in actual airstrikes two hours after Goldberg received the messages.
The group discussed strategy, the timing of the strikes, and concerns about the political and economic fallout, with Vance questioning the decision's alignment with Trump’s broader messaging. Some officials feared delaying the strikes would lead to leaks or Israel taking unilateral action. Ultimately, the strikes proceeded, confirming Goldberg’s worst suspicions about the administration's recklessness in handling classified military operations.
Potential OPSEC Violations:
Unsecured Communication – Discussing classified or sensitive military operations on a consumer-grade messaging app (Signal) instead of secure government systems like SIPRNet or JWICS violates standard security protocols.
Unauthorized Disclosure – If Jeffrey Goldberg (a journalist) was mistakenly included in the chat, this means unauthorized personnel had access to sensitive discussions about timing, targets, and strategy—a major breach.
Risk of Interception – Even though Signal offers end-to-end encryption, using it for top-level military planning increases the risk of foreign adversaries (China, Russia, Iran, etc.) intercepting or exploiting the information.
Compromising Strategic Surprise – The premature exposure of an operation could allow enemy forces (Houthis) to prepare defenses, relocate assets, or retaliate.