The White House on Tuesday refuted a report that war plans were discussed on a virtual group chat that a journalist accidentally joined.
The Atlantic editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg wrote Monday that he was invited to a March 15 Signal app chat group in which Vice President J.D. Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and national security adviser Mike Waltz discussed possible military action in Yemen against the Houthis.
Later that day, President Donald Trump ordered a series of airstrikes on the Houthi-held areas in Yemen.
Hegseth on Monday assailed Goldberg, saying the editor "peddles in garbage."
On Tuesday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt took to X to say:
"Jeffrey Goldberg is well-known for his sensationalist spin. Here are the facts about his latest story:
1. No 'war plans' were discussed.
2. No classified material was sent to the thread.
3. The White House Counsel's Office has provided guidance on a number of different platforms for President Trump's top officials to communicate as safely and efficiently as possible."
Leavitt added that the White House is investigating how Goldberg's number was inadvertently added to the chat thread.
The press secretary then ended her post with "what matters most."
"Thanks to the strong and decisive leadership of President Trump, and everyone in the group, the Houthi strikes were successful and effective," Leavitt wrote. "Terrorists were killed and that's what matters most to President Trump."
Charlie McCarthy ✉
Charlie McCarthy, a writer/editor at Newsmax, has nearly 40 years of experience covering news, sports, and politics.
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