Special Poll
The Atlantic released new messages on Wednesday from a Signal group chat involving top Trump administration officials, shedding further light on the controversial discussions surrounding U.S. military strikes against Houthi rebels in Yemen. The chat, which mistakenly included Atlantic editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg, had previously sparked outrage over the possible mishandling of sensitive military information.
The release came after President Trump, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and other officials forcefully denied that any war plans or classified materials were shared, going so far as to challenge The Atlantic to publish the content. The newly revealed messages, however, appear to contradict those denials. Among them is a text from Hegseth detailing the specific timing and sequencing of U.S. airstrikes, including when the “Target Terrorist” would be in a “Known Location” and “WHEN THE FIRST BOMBS WILL DEFINITELY DROP.”
Despite these details, White House officials have continued to downplay the issue. Press secretary Karoline Leavitt issued a statement insisting that the messages were not war plans, while national security adviser Mike Waltz echoed the claim on social media, posting, “No locations. No sources & methods. NO WAR PLANS.” White House spokesperson Taylor Budowich went further, lashing out at The Atlantic on X and calling the publication’s journalists “scumbags.”
Still, the conversation captured in the chat paints a different picture. On the day of the attacks—Saturday, March 15—the discussion shifted from general planning to highly specific operational details. At 11:44 a.m. ET, Hegseth shared a “TEAM UPDATE” that laid out the launch schedule for U.S. warplanes. After sending the timeline, Hegseth told the group, “We are currently clean on OPSEC,” despite Goldberg still being a member of the chat.
Vice President J.D. Vance replied, “I will say a prayer for victory,” while Waltz later informed the group that a target building had collapsed, adding that intelligence confirmed a “positive ID” on the target entering the building. Vance responded with “Excellent,” and Waltz followed up with a fist, flag, and fire emoji — a now-viral sequence that has become a symbol of the unfolding scandal.
Initially, Goldberg withheld the most sensitive details, saying he feared the information could be used to harm U.S. personnel if obtained by adversaries. However, following public pressure and persistent denials from the administration, The Atlantic decided to release additional messages so that the public could judge the situation for themselves.
Meanwhile, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and CIA Director John Ratcliffe told senators that no specific targets or weapons systems were discussed in the chat. But the new messages call those statements into question, as lawmakers and critics highlight the growing discrepancy between the chat’s contents and the administration’s public denials.
Now, President Trump is facing backlash not only for the content of the chat but also for standing by his officials despite mounting evidence. Critics, including some within his own party, are accusing Trump of lying to protect others who also appear to have misled the public. The incident is reigniting concerns over operational security and whether Trump is enabling a culture of carelessness and cover-ups within his Cabinet.
As the fallout continues and investigations ramp up, many are asking whether this scandal will leave lasting damage — not just to the officials involved, but to the credibility of the Trump administration itself.