Senior US official leaks military information via messaging app

US officials reacted with shock to revelations in The Atlantic that senior members of President Donald Trump's Cabinet sent detailed operational plans and other potentially classified information about US military airstrikes in Yemen to a discussion group on a messaging app, to which a reporter was accidentally added, CNN reported.

The Trump administration acknowledged that messages sent through the non-government encrypted chat app Signal appeared to be authentic, but has not offered any explanation for why senior officials discussed defense information outside approved classified government systems.

Almost immediately, senior officials quickly moved to review the use of Signal amid concerns that Trump administration officials were relying too heavily on the app to conduct sensitive government work — posing a serious risk to US national security.

According to CNN, immediately after the story was published, it spread widely in many forums of the Trump administration, causing officials to react with an attitude of "disbelief".

Multiple administration officials told CNN they were shocked, with at least two speculating that this could lead to the firing of one of their colleagues. National security officials expressed deep frustration in conversations with CNN, noting that having such sensitive conversations on an unclassified platform risks exposing information to foreign hackers — and any other employee doing so would almost certainly be fired immediately and possibly prosecuted.

According to the Atlantic, national security adviser Mike Waltz convened a text message conversation earlier this month with senior US officials, including Vice President JD Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, to discuss attacks on Houthi forces in Yemen, which have threatened international shipping in the Red Sea. Waltz reportedly accidentally added Atlantic editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg to the group.

Signal is an encrypted messaging app popular around the world, including with journalists and government officials. Biden administration officials have also frequently used it to discuss logistics for meetings and sometimes to communicate with foreign counterparts.

Using Signal to discuss plans for military operations - one of the most closely guarded secrets - is a shocking risk to national security, US officials say.

President Trump has given no indication that he plans to fire anyone over the matter. He appeared surprised when asked about the story, telling reporters on the afternoon of March 24 (Washington time): "I don't know anything about it. I'm not a fan of The Atlantic. To me, it's a magazine that's going bankrupt. I don't think it's a magazine. But I don't know anything about it."