Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth arrives at the Pentagon, Monday, Jan. 27, 2025 in Washington. (AP Photo/Kevin Wolf)
The scandal exploding across Washington has a name now—War Chat released. And it’s taking down big names with it.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is fighting for his job. A leaked chat thread from the encrypted Signal app shows him sharing secret war plans in shocking detail. The Atlantic published the full exchange Wednesday morning.
On March 15, Hegseth texted specifics about a U.S. airstrike in Yemen. Not vague hints—real intel. He revealed exact times, weapons systems, and even the type of aircraft.
F-18s, MQ-9 drones, launch timelines, and the phrase “the first bombs will definitely drop”—it’s all there. And it happened 31 minutes before the first strike.
The Pentagon is now scrambling. Top officials fear these messages could have endangered American lives.
Just hours before the war chat released, National Security Director Tulsi Gabbard and CIA Director John Ratcliffe told the Senate no classified info had been shared.
Now their credibility is under fire.
They’re scheduled to testify again Wednesday afternoon. This time, the questions will be a lot tougher.
The Atlantic’s editor-in-chief, Jeffrey Goldberg, dropped the bombshell. On Monday, he revealed that he had somehow been added to a Signal group called “Houthi PC small group.”
He didn’t know how. But the chat included top names from Trump’s inner circle.
Then came the twist—The Atlantic published the full chat.
The messages include Hegseth confirming that CENTCOM was “GO for mission launch.” He shared precise details. Drone types. F-18 usage. Launch windows. All timed to the minute.
One message included a launch schedule two hours before the strike. He even assured others they were “clean on OPSEC.” But clearly, they weren’t.
Goldberg says he witnessed the whole thing unfold. Just after Hegseth sent the attack timeline, NSA Mike Waltz changed chat settings. Messages would now disappear after four weeks.
That didn’t stop screenshots.
Hegseth signed off one message with, “Godspeed to our Warriors.” He had no idea a journalist was in the thread.
Trump’s team is calling the scandal fake.
They say the original report exaggerated. First it was “war plans,” now they say it’s “attack plans.” That’s their defense.
Vice President J.D. Vance posted the article with sarcastic highlights. Others followed suit, including White House staffer Taylor Budowich and Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.
They’re calling it “another hoax” and “a sensationalist stunt.”
No one knows how Goldberg ended up in the chat.
Some blame Waltz. Others suspect staff errors. But what’s clear is that no one noticed the journalist until it was too late.
And Goldberg didn’t just read. He documented. He has proof of every word exchanged.
At Tuesday’s cabinet meeting, Waltz denied everything. He swore nothing classified was ever discussed.
But he was the one who added Goldberg.
He also asked everyone in the chat to provide operational contacts. That request launched the whole sequence of sensitive info.
Now, Waltz is under scrutiny too.
One of the chat’s most damning messages came 31 minutes before strike time. Hegseth gave a full timeline. Weapon types. Launch order.
He claimed operational security was tight. But by then, the damage was done.
A building collapsed hours later, with the Houthi target inside. Officials celebrated. Goldberg left the chat soon after—but not without screenshots.
Gabbard, Ratcliffe, and FBI Director Kash Patel were all asked about the chat during a Senate Intelligence hearing on Tuesday.
They stuck to the script. “No classified material was shared,” Gabbard repeated.
But with the war chat released, their denials may not hold much longer.
Trump said Tuesday he still trusts Waltz. But with the scandal growing, that might change.
Every hour, more Americans are reading the leaked messages. The Atlantic says it may publish more soon.
Goldberg warned that if a hostile actor had seen the messages, “the Houthis would have had time to prepare.”
He said American pilots could’ve faced deadly consequences.
Trump loyalists are doing all they can to shift the story.
They claim the term “war plans” was hype. They say the Atlantic backtracked by changing it to “attack plans.” The evidence? A screenshot with headline changes.
They’re also slamming Goldberg personally.
“Scumbags,” Budowich posted. “Lied to push another hoax.”
Across social media, outrage is boiling. Some demand resignations. Others want criminal charges.
Polls now show a drop in public trust toward top Trump officials.
And with War Chat released trending online, the administration faces a fresh crisis.
Goldberg hinted he might release even more. He says transparency is necessary because of the danger involved.
If he does, this already-ugly story could get worse.
The fallout from the Yemen war chat is far from over. More hearings are scheduled. Investigations have already started.
Hegseth is in serious trouble. Waltz may not be far behind. And others on that chat thread are bracing for impact.
With the war chat released, there’s no going back.
A key election in Wisconsin went badly for Trump’s side. A conservative judge, backed by…
A new book shows that Barack Obama didn’t think Kamala Harris could win the 2024…
Melania Trump spoke on Tuesday about how love has helped her through difficult times. She…
President Trump is working fast to finalize a sale for TikTok. The clock is ticking,…
Kid Rock has spent 20 years building his dream home in Nashville, Tennessee. This home…
In 2025, NYC crime dropped significantly. Murders and shootings both saw a sharp decline. This…
