On Wednesday, The Atlantic posted a detailed follow-up story, including transcript of text messages and screenshots disclosing the full text chain from the Signal group chat that inadvertently included the magazine’s editor-in-chief, Jeffrey Goldberg.
In an article titled “Here Are the Attack Plans That Trump’s Advisers Shared on Signal,” Goldberg quoted from texts in which Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth detailed types of U.S. military aircraft and the timing of recent airstrikes against Houthi militias in Yemen (the texts did not, however, include information about specific targets).
The updated after comes after the White House and top administration officials involved in the chat claimed no “war plans” were discussed. In testimony at a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing Tuesday, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and CIA Director John Ratcliffe both claimed no classified material was shared in the group chat. Ratcliffe said his “communications … in the Signal message group were entirely permissible and lawful and did not include classified information.” They also both testified Tuesday that Hegseth was the “original classifying authority” on the chat.
Goldberg and journalist Shane Harris said in The Atlantic article published Wednesday that “statements by Hegseth, Gabbard, Ratcliffe, and Trump — combined with the assertions made by numerous administration officials that we are lying about the content of the Signal texts — have led us to believe that people should see the texts in order to reach their own conclusions. There is a clear public interest in disclosing the sort of information that Trump advisers included in nonsecure communications channels, especially because senior administration figures are attempting to downplay the significance of the messages that were shared.”
The screenshots include Hegseth sharing details of the timing and targets of the attack on Houthis in Yemen earlier this month, and were discussed in the chat. Hegseth posted in the chat, in all caps, at 11:44 a.m. ET on Saturday, March 15: “TEAM UPDATE: TIME NOW (1144et): Weather is FAVORABLE. Just CONFIRMED w/CENTCOM we are a GO for mission launch.” The ensuing message included the timing of the expected strikes and what type of weapons would be used.
Goldberg and Shane Harris wrote: “This Signal message shows that the U.S. secretary of defense texted a group that included a phone number unknown to him—Goldberg’s cellphone—at 11:44 a.m. This was 31 minutes before the first U.S. warplanes launched, and two hours and one minute before the beginning of a period in which a primary target, the Houthi ‘Target Terrorist,’ was expected to be killed by these American aircraft. If this text had been received by someone hostile to American interests—or someone merely indiscreet, and with access to social media—the Houthis would have had time to prepare for what was meant to be a surprise attack on their strongholds. The consequences for American pilots could have been catastrophic.”
The White House has not denied the authenticity of the message; however, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt wrote on X Wednesday morning: “The Atlantic has conceded: these were NOT ‘war plans. This entire story was another hoax written by a Trump-hater who is well-known for his sensationalist spin.”
National security adviser Mike Waltz also wrote on X Wednesday morning: “No locations. No sources & methods. NO WAR PLANS. Foreign partners had already been notified that strikes were imminent. BOTTOM LINE: President Trump is protecting America and our interests.” Waltz also asserted that the sources of the intelligence were not discussed but did not address the timing or weapons packages used in the strikes.
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