A major security breach has rocked Washington after top U.S. officials — including the Vice President and Defense Secretary — accidentally shared classified military details in a private Signal chat, which included a journalist by mistake.
The chat, which included JD Vance and Pete Hegseth, discussed last week’s U.S. strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen, the most significant military action taken by President Trump since returning to office. The leak happened when Atlantic editor Jeffrey Goldberg was mistakenly added to the group by national security adviser Mike Waltz.
The messages revealed:
- Criticism of European allies, with officials suggesting they should pay for U.S. military operations.
- Concerns about a potential spike in oil prices and limited U.S. trade interest through the Red Sea.
- Conversations about “economic compensation” from Europe for America’s military actions.
- Derogatory comments calling Europe “freeloaders,” and calls to charge allies for military costs.
The National Security Council confirmed the authenticity of the messages and is investigating how the leak happened. Officials insisted the situation posed no threat to national security, but the political fallout has been swift.
Lawmakers from both parties condemned the lapse:
- Democrats called it “one of the most egregious failures” of operational security.
- Republicans criticized the use of unsecured communication and the inclusion of unauthorized individuals.
Senior EU diplomats expressed disbelief at the hostile tone towards Europe, calling the remarks “warped” and “bonkers,” further straining transatlantic relations.
