Post Reports

The fallout from the Signal leak

Mar 25, 2025

Dan Lamothe and Abigail Hauslohner, national security reporters for The Washington Post, dive into a scandal involving Trump administration officials discussing sensitive military plans in a Signal group chat. They reveal the risks of using unsecured platforms for classified information and explore the ensuing Senate hearing, where officials faced tough questions about accountability. The conversation highlights the need for secure communication channels in the military and critiques varying political responses to such leaks.

28:29

Creator website

Episode guests

Abigail Hauslohner

Dan Lamothe

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Quick takeaways

The accidental inclusion of a journalist in a Signal group chat led to the exposure of sensitive military plans, raising security concerns.

The Senate Intelligence Committee's focus shifted to accountability for the breach, highlighting a political double standard regarding information leaks.

Deep dives

Leaked Military Plans in a Group Chat

Top officials from the Trump administration accidentally shared highly sensitive military plans in a group chat on Signal, which included a journalist from The Atlantic. The chat featured prominent figures including the Defense Secretary and National Security Advisor discussing upcoming airstrikes against the Houthi rebels in Yemen, detailing targets and weaponry to be used. This breach occurred just hours before the strikes were to take place, leading to significant criticism regarding the handling of classified information. The openness of this conversation raised severe concerns about security protocols among national security officials and the potential repercussions if such information fell into the wrong hands.

Intro

2min

Leaked Communications: Security Breach in Yemen Strategy

7min

Security Risks in Digital Communication

4min

The Fallout of Classified Leaks

14min

Reputation at Stake: Accountability in the Wake of a Signal Leak

3min

A Tuesday hearing had been previously scheduled for senior Trump administration officials to share an annual global threat assessment with the Senate Intelligence Committee. Instead, Democratic senators spent much of the time grilling them about their involvement in a Signal group chat in which Jeffrey Goldberg, the editor in chief of the Atlantic, had been erroneously included.

Screenshots shared by Goldberg showed top officials, including Vice President JD Vance and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, discussing a U.S. plan to launch airstrikes on Houthi targets in Yemen. They shared precise information about weapons and timing.

Host Colby Itkowitz is joined by national security reporters Dan Lamothe and Abigail Hauslohner to discuss the security risks this poses and how the administration and Congress are responding.

Today’s episode was produced by Sabby Robinson and Ted Muldoon, who also mixed the show. It was edited by Lucy Perkins, with help from Peter Bresnan.

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Post Reports

The fallout from the Signal leak

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Deep dives

Leaked Military Plans in a Group Chat

Accountability and Oversight at the Senate Hearing

Responses to the Incident and Implications for Officials

Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts