In newly leaked messages from the media outlet The Atlantic, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth tells other members of the Trump administration in *** private signal chat, quote, We are *** go for mission launch before laying out exact timing for when F-18s would be launched and when bombs would be dropped. Former Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said this is *** massive national security breach and said this is not how those conversations went when he was in that position. The discussions for those plans took place in one place and one place only. Which is the National Security Situation Room. Uh, in the White House, Current Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth provided *** detailed play by play to the now infamous signal chat with fellow Trump administration officials just before an air strike against Houthi rebels in Yemen. 1345 target terrorist is at his known location. 1410, more F-18s launch. 5 minutes later, quote, This is when the first bombs will definitely drop. I mean, break that down. Is that classified information? You can't call it anything other than classified information. According to the Defense Department's website, any disclosure of significant military plans or intelligence operations could be considered secret, with serious damage to operations, assets, or individuals. Former CIA Chief of Staff Larry Pfeiffer says any communication outside of *** secured location, like in the signal app, carries major risks, which is why High ranking officials such as the ones on the chat always carry secured methods of communication. It travels with them. It's at home. It's in the office. If they're on *** plane in *** boat, uh, you know, in *** car, um, they're they're, they're gonna be able to communicate. It's literally steps away from wherever they are at any given time. Signal is an app anyone can download to their device, which encrypts messages to keep them secure. It's considered. To go to for the military, journalists, and privacy advocates, but it is not approved for classified conversations. It's not the kind of stuff that you want out on some commercially available platform that is non-secure and in essence unclassified. Just *** day before those airstrikes, the Defense Department warned its staff that Russia was actively trying to hack the signal lap, raising concerns about its security. In Washington, Christopher Sala WM News.
National security experts weigh in on Trump admin chat controversy
The newly leaked messages show Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told members of the Trump administration on Signal: 'Weather is FAVORABLE. Just CONFIRMED w/ CENTCOM we are a go for Mission launch.'
Updated: 6:13 PM CDT Mar 26, 2025
The Atlantic on Wednesday released the entire Signal chat among senior national security officials, showing that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth provided the exact timings of warplane launches and when bombs would drop in an attack in Yemen earlier this month.See the story in the video aboveThe White House insists the communications were not classified, but the full content of the messages has some experts questioning that.The newly leaked messages show Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told members of the Trump administration on Signal: "Weather is FAVORABLE. Just CONFIRMED w/ CENTCOM we are a go for Mission launch."Former Defense Secretary Leon Panetta called it a major national security breach, saying that's not where or how he had those types of conversations."The discussions for those plans took place in one place and one place only, which is the national security situation room in the White House," Panetta said.Hegseth provided a detailed play-by-play of the attack to the now infamous Signal chat with fellow Trump administration officials just before an air strike against Houthi rebels in Yemen."You can't call it anything other than classified information," Panetta said.According to the Defense Department's website, significant military plans or intelligence operations could be considered secret, with disclosure potentially causing serious damage to operations, assets, or individuals.Former chief of staff to the director of the CIA Larry Pfeiffer said any communication outside of a secured location, like in the Signal app, carries major risks, which is why high-ranking officials, such as the ones in the chat, always carry secure methods of communication with them."It travels with them, it's at home, it's in the office. If they're on a plane and a boat, you know, in a car 鈥� they're going to be able to communicate. It's literally steps away from wherever they are at any given time," Pfeiffer said.Signal is an app anyone can download to their device, which encrypts messages to keep them secure. It's considered a go-to for the military, journalists, and privacy advocates but is not approved for classified conversations."It's wonderful for encrypting your communications, from the moment you hit send to the moment it hits the other guy's phone or laptop. The problem is, once it hits one while it's on your device, and when it gets to the other device, it's openly available. And so if those devices are compromised, you know, through some kind of hacking, through perhaps malware that was installed six months ago, through some kind of open surveillance, because the person may be using the phone out in an open public area, these are definitely, definitely concerns we would have about using that platform," Pfeiffer said.Just one day before the strikes, the Defense Department warned staff that Russia was trying to hack Signal, raising serious concerns about security risks, according to a report from the Associated Press.
The Atlantic on Wednesday released the entire Signal chat among senior national security officials, showing that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth provided the exact timings of warplane launches and when bombs would drop in an attack in Yemen earlier this month.
See the story in the video above
The White House insists the communications were not classified, but the full content of the messages has some experts questioning that.
The newly leaked messages show Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told members of the Trump administration on Signal: "Weather is FAVORABLE. Just CONFIRMED w/ CENTCOM we are a go for Mission launch."
Former Defense Secretary Leon Panetta called it a major national security breach, saying that's not where or how he had those types of conversations.
"The discussions for those plans took place in one place and one place only, which is the national security situation room in the White House," Panetta said.
Hegseth provided a detailed play-by-play of the attack to the now infamous Signal chat with fellow Trump administration officials just before an air strike against Houthi rebels in Yemen.
"You can't call it anything other than classified information," Panetta said.
According to the Defense Department's website, significant military plans or intelligence operations could be considered secret, with disclosure potentially causing serious damage to operations, assets, or individuals.
Former chief of staff to the director of the CIA Larry Pfeiffer said any communication outside of a secured location, like in the Signal app, carries major risks, which is why high-ranking officials, such as the ones in the chat, always carry secure methods of communication with them.
"It travels with them, it's at home, it's in the office. If they're on a plane and a boat, you know, in a car 鈥� they're going to be able to communicate. It's literally steps away from wherever they are at any given time," Pfeiffer said.
Signal is an app anyone can download to their device, which encrypts messages to keep them secure. It's considered a go-to for the military, journalists, and privacy advocates but is not approved for classified conversations.
"It's wonderful for encrypting your communications, from the moment you hit send to the moment it hits the other guy's phone or laptop. The problem is, once it hits one while it's on your device, and when it gets to the other device, it's openly available. And so if those devices are compromised, you know, through some kind of hacking, through perhaps malware that was installed six months ago, through some kind of open surveillance, because the person may be using the phone out in an open public area, these are definitely, definitely concerns we would have about using that platform," Pfeiffer said.
Just one day before the strikes, the Defense Department warned staff that Russia was trying to hack Signal, raising serious concerns about security risks, according to a report from the Associated Press.