No. 10 Affirms Confidence in Intelligence Sharing with the US Despite Leak from Trump Officials’ Group Chat | Politics News
Downing Street has expressed confidence that UK intelligence shared with the US is being managed suitably, following a significant security breach involving the Trump administration.
In a parliamentary session, Luke Pollard, the armed forces minister, stated that no UK personnel involved in the US operation against the Houthis on March 15 were endangered as a result of a reporter being unintentionally added to a group chat where senior US officials discussed the airstrikes.
He emphasized that the government maintains “high confidence” in the security of British operations, despite the incident involving a vital intelligence ally.
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The Trump administration is under pressure for an investigation after Jeffrey Goldberg, editor-in-chief of The Atlantic magazine, was included in a group chat with US Vice President JD Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard.
In an article titled The Trump Administration Accidentally Texted Me Its War Plans, Mr. Goldberg disclosed that he “knew two hours before the first bombs dropped that an attack might be imminent”.
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‘High confidence’ operational security ‘intact’
During an address to the House of Commons’ defense select committee, the armed forces minister commented: “All UK service personnel are governed by our standard operational security protocols, and while I cannot disclose the specifics of how we maintain the security of our involvement in any military operations in the Red Sea or elsewhere, I can assure the committee of our high confidence that our collaboration with allies, including the United States, remains secure.”
Armed Forces Minister Luke Pollard
However, Mr. Pollard also indicated that there would be “clear consequences” if any UK officials fail to adhere to the proper protocols concerning classified information.
He informed the committee: “The Ministry of Defence has explicit policies regarding what information can be shared and the formats it can take. We refrain from commenting on how our allies manage their information.”
“I am confident that we have rigorous measures in place to protect our information and data, alongside a definitive system to ensure accountability among individuals who do not adhere to the correct procedures, with appropriate repercussions reflecting the gravity of the actions taken.”
The minister reiterated that there would be “clear consequences and disciplinary measures for anyone who failed to follow those procedures”.
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No 10 still assured in US-UK intelligence collaboration
A spokesperson from Downing Street remarked to the press: “The US is our closest ally concerning defense matters; we share a long-standing relationship in intelligence and defense cooperation.”
“We will continue to strengthen the robust relationship we have with the US regarding defense and security issues.”
When asked if the government was comfortable with UK personnel’s involvement in an operation where details were leaked to a journalist, the spokesperson declined to comment on intelligence matters.
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“Nobody was texting war plans,” insists US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth
‘Trump’s White House is unreliable’
The leader of the Liberal Democrats strongly disagrees with the government, advocating for a thorough review of the UK’s intelligence sharing protocols with the US.
Sir Ed Davey remarked: “Trump’s White House is not to be trusted to take even the most fundamental steps to safeguard its intelligence.”
“Their erratic approach to security suggests it is only a matter of time until our shared intelligence is compromised, potentially endangering British lives.”
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Sir Ed is not isolated in his apprehensions; four former US ambassadors have shared similar concerns about the intelligence sharing dynamics under the Trump administration.
Sir David Manning, ambassador from 2003 to 2007, indicated to a parliamentary committee that some of Mr. Trump’s appointees had “unusual track records” that might lead to complications in the intelligence domain.
Dame Karen Pierce, who was present during portions of the Trump presidency and departed Washington last month, asserted that intelligence sharing would persist “even if there are aspects at the top level we might wish to be cautious about”.
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On March 15, US airstrikes resulted in the death of at least 53 individuals in Yemen in response to Houthi threats to target “Israeli” vessels following Israel’s blockade of aid into the Gaza Strip. Ongoing bombardments have continued for the ten days following this incident.
UK forces assisted the US navy with the refueling of military jets during the airstrikes earlier this month.
The intelligence networks of both the UK and US are closely intertwined, as both nations are part of the Five Eyes intelligence sharing alliance, which also includes Australia, Canada, and New Zealand.
