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.
15:12
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Quick takeaways
- The accidental sharing of military plans by senior Trump officials raises serious concerns about national security protocols and competence.
- This incident reveals growing public distrust in government communication practices, highlighting potential hypocrisy in the administration's handling of classified information.
Deep dives
Miscommunication in Government Security
Senior members of the Trump administration mistakenly shared critical military plans on an unsecured group chat, exemplifying a significant breach of protocol. Notably, this group, dubbed the Houthi PC Small Group, included high-ranking officials such as the Secretary of Defense and the Director of National Intelligence. The situation escalated when a journalist was inadvertently added to the chat and witnessed discussions about planned airstrikes on Houthi targets in Yemen. This incident raises serious concerns about the competence of those handling national security and the potential risks posed by such careless actions.
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