WASHINGTON – The Atlantic on Wednesday released the full Signal chat among senior national security officials, revealing that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth shared precise details of U.S. airstrikes against Yemen’s Houthis before the attacks occurred. The chat logs show that Hegseth disclosed the exact timings of warplane launches and when bombs would be dropped, all before pilots were airborne.
The revelation comes as intelligence and defense officials struggle to explain how sensitive details—information current and former U.S. officials say would typically be classified—ended up in an unclassified Signal chat that included Atlantic Editor-in-Chief Jeffrey Goldberg. The White House maintains that no classified information was shared.
The chat notably excluded the acting chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Adm. Christopher Grady, the only military representative on the principals committee. Grady is serving in the role after President Donald Trump fired former chairman Gen. CQ Brown Jr. in February.
National Security Adviser Mike Waltz had the authority to decide whether the Joint Chiefs chairman should be included in the discussion, according to a Jan. 20 White House memo. The Pentagon declined to comment, and it remains unclear why the president’s top military adviser was not involved in a discussion on military strikes.
Hegseth, currently traveling in the Indo-Pacific, has refused to confirm whether he posted classified information. When questioned, he dismissed concerns, stating he did not reveal “war plans.” Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and CIA Director John Ratcliffe told the Senate Intelligence Committee that it was Hegseth’s decision to determine whether the information he posted was classified.
The leaked messages contained highly specific operational details, including the timeline of airstrikes and the exact moments bombs would be dropped.
Hegseth’s messages included:
“1215 ET: F-18s LAUNCH (1st strike package)”
“1345: ‘Trigger Based’ F-18 1st Strike Window Starts (Target Terrorist is @ his Known Location so SHOULD BE ON TIME – also, Strike Drones Launch (MQ-9s)”
“1410: More F-18s LAUNCH (2nd strike package)”
“1415: Strike Drones on Target (THIS IS WHEN THE FIRST BOMBS WILL DEFINITELY DROP, pending earlier ‘Trigger Based’ targets)”
“1536: F-18 2nd Strike Starts – also, first sea-based Tomahawks launched.”
“MORE TO FOLLOW (per timeline)”
“We are currently clean on OPSEC.”
“Godspeed to our Warriors.”
Goldberg stated that The Atlantic consulted the White House before publishing the chat logs and was told the administration would prefer the details remain unpublished.
Signal, an encrypted messaging app, is not approved for handling classified information and is vulnerable to cyberattacks. A U.S. official, speaking anonymously, said the Defense Department had warned personnel on March 14 that Russia was attempting to hack Signal. A known vulnerability allows hackers with access to a phone to remotely monitor messages in real time.
The controversy unfolds as White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt faces legal action from The Associated Press, which alleges the administration is retaliating against the news agency over editorial decisions. The White House insists the AP is not adhering to an executive order requiring references to the Gulf of Mexico as the “Gulf of America.”
AP
