ABC News Daily Team Trump’s ‘comically incompetent’ group chat
Mar 27, 2025
David Smith, an Associate Professor at the United States Studies Centre, dives into the recent blunder of Trump's team where classified military plans leaked into a group chat. He discusses the chaotic dynamics of urgent decision-making among high-ranking officials and critiques the use of unsecured platforms like Signal for sensitive discussions. The conversation reveals the striking incompetence in communication protocols, the implications for national security, and the hypocrisy surrounding information handling in the Trump administration.
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Signalgate
- Senior Trump administration members mistakenly shared secret Yemen bombing plans with a journalist on Signal.
- This journalist, Jeffrey Goldberg, editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, was accidentally added to a high-level group chat.
Group Chat Participants
- Jeffrey Goldberg was added to the "Houthi PC Small Group" on Signal by Mike Waltz, the National Security Advisor.
- This group included high-ranking officials like Pete Hegseth, J.D. Vance, Marco Rubio, and Tulsi Gabbard.
Leaked Information
- The group discussed attack plans, timing, and messaging surrounding the bombing of Houthi rebels in Yemen.
- Pete Hegseth shared specific details, including times, planes, and a target's location.