Jesus wept

The world found out shortly before 2 p.m. eastern time on March 15 that the United States was bombing Houthi targets across Yemen.

I, however, knew two hours before the first bombs exploded that the attack might be coming. The reason I knew this is that Pete Hegseth, the secretary of defense, had texted me the war plan at 11:44 a.m. The plan included precise information about weapons packages, targets, and timing.

  The Atlantic

The Trump administration is as incompetent as it is despicable.

Trump National Security Adviser Mike Waltz accidentally added Jeffrey Goldberg, editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, to a groupchat in which the Principals Committee –the heads of the top American national security agencies — discussed plans to strike Houthi rebels in Yemen earlier this month.

[...]

I received a notice that I was to be included in a Signal chat group. It was called the “Houthi PC small group.” A message to the group, from “Michael Waltz,” read as follows: “Team – establishing a principles [sic] group for coordination on Houthis, particularly for over the next 72 hours. My deputy Alex Wong is pulling together a tiger team at deputies/agency Chief of Staff level following up from the meeting in the Sit Room this morning for action items and will be sending that out later this evening.

Over the following days, the members of the groupchat debated whether to take action against the Houthis, with Vice President JD Vance counseling against such a decision and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth arguing in favor of it.

[...]

It was the next morning, Saturday, March 15, when this story became truly bizarre. At 11:44 a.m., the account labeled “Pete Hegseth” posted in Signal a “TEAM UPDATE.” I will not quote from this update, or from certain other subsequent texts. The information contained in them, if they had been read by an adversary of the United States, could conceivably have been used to harm American military and intelligence personnel, particularly in the broader Middle East, Central Command’s area of responsibility. What I will say, in order to illustrate the shocking recklessness of this Signal conversation, is that the Hegseth post contained operational details of forthcoming strikes on Yemen, including information about targets, weapons the U.S. would be deploying, and attack sequencing.

  Mediaite

"If they had been read by an adversary." Actually, we no longer know who our adversaries and allies are. But, further to the point, if Waltz accidentally invited Goldberg, how do we know he didn't also invite an adversary?

Asked for comment, Brian Hughes, a spokesman for the Trump National Security Council told Goldberg that “This appears to be an authentic message chain, and we are reviewing how an inadvertent number was added to the chain.

JFC.

Goldberg's article is receiving plenty of attention on X, formerly Twitter.

The New Yorker's Jane Mayer posted, "OMG- this story! Hegseth Reckless beyond belief!

  Alternet

The Goldberg article.

Talk to the hand.

I don't know, but I don't think the time has passed that they could have their phones stolen, or even accessed surreptitiously.

The incompetent national security risk panel.

"Others"???

I think we should rename Waltz' position from National Security Advisor to National Security Threat.  

UPDATE 03:35 pm: 

Write your congress critters.  Sample (h/t Stephen):

Senator/Congressman ________. I am a registered voter in _____________. You have no doubt heard the report that National Security Advisor Mike Waltz included Jeff Goldberg, a journalist for The Atlantic magazine, in a Signal chat group and texted specific warfare actions in Yemen to that group. This breach of security operations demonstrates incredible incompetence and disregard for national security. I urge you to press for Waltz's immediate resignation, as he is clearly unprepared and unqualified for the requirements of his position. In addition, appropriate action and discipline should be afforded to the other government participants (including SecDef Hegseth) for using a third-party, presumably unofficial app for sensitive communications. Thank you for your action on this.

UPDATE 04:03 pm:

Jesus Fucking Christ.

Meanwhile...

No big deal, say the Trumpies.

UPDATE 04:59 pm:

UPDATE 03/26/2025:  The money quote:

No.  I haven't. I HAVE inadvertently sent a text to someone I didn't mean to send it to, but I didn't have the phone numbers mixed up.  And I'm not in a national security position.