In a security breach that has created Washington’s latest named scandal, Signalgate, top Trump Administration officials accidentally added a journalist to a Signal chat group discussing sensitive military operations against Houthi targets in Yemen. The breach has raised serious questions about operational security and the use of encrypted messaging apps within the government. Signal is an open source, encrypted application used for messaging, voice calls and video calls developed by the non-profit Signal Foundation.
According to The Atlantic Editor in Chief Jeffrey Goldberg, he knew about the planned bombing of Houthi targets “two hours before the first bombs exploded” on March 15 because he was inadvertently added to group chat of government officials. Goldberg claimed he received a connection request on Signal from National Security Adviser Michael Waltz on March 11, followed by an invitation to a chat group called “Houthi PC small group” two days later.
Signal uses end-to-end encryption to secure the transmission of communications, meaning messages are scrambled and only the sender and recipient at each end will have the key to decipher them. It’s also is designed to delete data rather than store it. Signal has defended its platform amid the controversy. “Signal is the gold standard in private communications,” Meredith Whittaker, president of Signal, posted on X without directly addressing The Atlantic report. However, messages remain accessible if someone gains physical access to an unlocked device or obtains the password before automatic deletion occurs.
Despite Signal’s encryption, it doesn’t meet security standards for any level of classified intelligence information (within the intelligence community there are various classification levels: Top Secret, Secret, or Confidential for classified information, and also Unclassified or Controlled Unclassified). If a device is compromised by spyware – like Pegasus, for example, which targeted the phones of journalist Jamal Khashoggi’s fiancée – all communications become exposed.
That is why facilities known as SCIFs (Sensitive Compartmented Information Facilities) exist within the government, to ensure both encrypted communication and freedom from monitoring devices. Had officials used these key national security protocols for their communication methods instead of Signal, a journalist would never have accessed these conversations.
Additionally, its use in government also raises concerns about transparency and record-keeping requirements. This controversy has prompted legal action, with watchdog group American Oversight filing a lawsuit alleging Trump Administration officials violated federal record-keeping laws through Signal use. Judge James Boasberg, who is already handling another case blocking President Trump’s attempt to deport Venezuelan nationals using the Alien Enemies Act (a 1798 law last invoked during World War II), has been assigned to this case.
“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,” Goldberg wrote in his account of the incident.
The chat included detailed information shared by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth about “weapons packages, targets, and timing” for the Yemen strikes. After initially withholding the actual content due to security concerns, Goldberg published the text messages on March 26, after conferring with administration officials about possible redactions.
This also included disclosure of 18 of the 19 Houthi PC small group members (one remains unnamed due to status as an active intelligence officer). In addition to Goldberg, the others are believed to be:
National Security Advisor Mike Waltz; Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth; Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent; National Security Council Chief of Staff Brian McCormack; Bessent’s Chief of Staff Dan Katz; Joe Kent, nominee for Director of National Counterterrorism Center; White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy and Homeland Security Advisor Stephen Miller; Secretary of State Marco Rubio; Rubio’s Chief of Staff Mike Needham; Director of the Central Intelligence Agency John Ratcliffe; White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles; Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard; Vice President JD Vance; U.S Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff; Deputy National Security Advisor Alex Nelson Wong; Walker Barrett (previously Deputy Chief of Staff to Waltz); and “Jacob,” who has yet to be identified.
Officials have offered conflicting statements about the severity of the breach. Secretary of State Marco Rubio acknowledged the mistake while downplaying its impact. “Obviously, someone made a mistake. Someone made a big mistake and added a journalist,” Rubio told reporters. “Nothing against journalists. But you ain’t supposed to be on that thing.” Rubio also stated that there was no threat to the lives of U.S. servicemen during the operation despite security officials leaking this information to a journalist on a communications app.
Both Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard and CIA Director John Ratcliffe insisted during the March 26 House Intelligence Committee hearing that no classified materials were shared in the Signal group, though questions remain about operational security protocols. CIA Director Ratcliffe also stated that he had been informed by CIA records management upon starting his position that the Signal app was permissible for work use and had been downloaded onto his CIA computer.
Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY) has introduced a bill to criminalize the sharing of classified information through unsecured messaging systems like Signal. The bill is named “HOUTHI PC SMALL GROUP Act,” for “Homeland Operations and Unilateral Tactics Halting Incursions: Preventing Coordinated Subversion, Military Aggression and Lawless Levies Granting Rogue Operatives Unchecked Power.” Violators would be subject to up to 5 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. House Judiciary Committee ranking member Jamie Raskin (D-MD) also sent Attorney General Pam Bondi and Federal Bureau of Investigation Director Kash Patel a letter asking if the Department of Justice is investigating the security leak.
