Atlantic Magazine Releases Additional Texts Shared in Group Chats Regarding War Plans | US News

The Atlantic magazine has released what it claims to be a timeline of military strategies that the US defense secretary inadvertently shared in a group chat that included a journalist.

This latest disclosure follows the White House’s efforts to minimize the fallout from leaked information regarding plans to target Houthi rebels in Yemen, asserting that no classified data had been revealed.

The plans were disclosed in a group chat on Signal, which featured prominent government figures, including Vice President JD Vance and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, alongside a journalist, The Atlantic’s editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg.

The strikes were executed on March 15.

According to its recent article, The Atlantic stated that on the day of the attack, “the discussion turned to operational matters.”

It cited Mr. Hegseth as sharing operational specifics of the plan, detailing weapon packages, intended targets, and timing.

He messaged at 12:15 PM: “F-18s LAUNCH (1st strike package)”.

An hour and a half later, he added: “‘Trigger Based’ F-18 1st Strike Window Starts (Target Terrorist is @ his Known Location so SHOULD BE ON TIME – also, Strike Drones Launch (MQ-9s).”

The Atlantic reported that this message was sent “31 minutes before the first US warplanes were deployed.”

Subsequent messages from the Pentagon chief followed, with the magazine noting: “More F-18s LAUNCH (2nd strike package).”

“Strike Drones on Target (THIS IS WHEN THE FIRST BOMBS WILL DEFINITELY DROP, pending earlier ‘Trigger Based’ targets).”

He also noted: “F-18 2nd Strike Starts – also, first sea-based Tomahawks launched, and then, ‘MORE TO FOLLOW (per timeline)’.”

“We are currently clean on OPSEC”—meaning operational security,” he concluded.

“Godspeed to our Warriors.”

Donald Trump commented that the sharing of sensitive plans was “the only glitch in two months” and deemed it a non-issue. He insisted that the chat did not contain “any classified information”.

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and CIA director John Ratcliffe—who were also part of the chat—testified before the Senate Intelligence Committee on Tuesday that no classified materials were exchanged.

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