The Trump Administration Accidentally Texted Our Editor Their War Plans
Mar 25, 2025
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Jeffrey Goldberg, the Editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, and Shane Harris, a national security reporter, dive into a bizarre incident where Goldberg ends up in a group text with top Trump administration officials discussing military plans. They dissect the surreal nature of governmental communication failures and the risks of using informal messaging platforms for sensitive discussions. The pair also explore the implications of leaked texts on national security and the chaotic dynamics within the administration, highlighting the importance of confidentiality in government operations.
The accidental inclusion of an editor in a high-level national security text chain highlights significant risks in communication security practices.
The podcast reveals discord and uncertainty within the Trump administration regarding military strategies, affecting decision-making coherence on operations in Yemen.
Deep dives
Unexpected Inclusion in National Security Discussions
An editor was accidentally added to a high-level text chain regarding an impending military operation in Yemen. Initially skeptical, he was surprised to find numerous officials including the Defense Secretary engaging in serious conversations about the situation. As the dialogue unfolded, he noted that the discussions mimicked authentic communication among the officials, including practical decision-making about the strike. This accidental inclusion raised alarms about communication security and the potential consequences of sharing sensitive information with someone outside the intended group.
Risks of Insecure Messaging Platforms
The use of an unsecured messaging platform for national security discussions was highlighted as a significant risk factor. While the app is encrypted, it is not approved for handling classified information, leading to concerns that sensitive details could be intercepted by unauthorized individuals. The conversation contained specifics regarding military operations that should have been kept confidential, emphasizing the lack of proper protocols for digital communications in high-stakes situations. The incident underscored the possibility of endangering personnel and operations due to negligence in handling national defense communications.
Internal Discord and Decision-making Dynamics
The podcast illustrated potential discord within the administration regarding military strategies, as differing opinions emerged about the operation in Yemen. A notable moment included disagreement from the Vice President about the implications of the airstrikes, indicating uncertainty about the coherence of policy decisions. The dynamics of the conversation suggested that while officials engaged seriously with the issues at hand, there were unresolved debates that could impact the effectiveness of their responses. This atmosphere of uncertainty and controversy in the decision-making process revealed deeper implications about the clarity of direction from leadership.
The Atlantic’s editor in chief, Jeffrey Goldberg, received a connection request on Signal from a “Michael Waltz,” which is the name of President Donald Trump’s national security adviser. Two days later, he was added to a group text with top administration officials created for the purpose of coordinating high-level national-security conversations about the Houthis in Yemen. (Read his story here.)
We talk with Goldberg and Shane Harris, an Atlantic national-security reporter, about what it means that this absurd and admittedly relatable thing happened in such a high-stakes situation.
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