White House denies sharing classified info in leaked Yemen strike chat

The White House on Wednesday (March 26) refuted claims that classified information was shared in an online group among officials discussing military strikes on Yemen’s Houthi rebels, that incidentally included a journalist.  The controversy arose after The Atlantic's editor-in-chief, Jeffrey Goldberg, said that he was included in the conversation, where senior officials were discussing military plans before the public announcement.

 

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt dismissed concerns about possibilities of a security breach. She emphasised that no classified material was involved. “No war plans were discussed,” she wrote on X, adding that the chat did not contain any sensitive information. 

 

Earlier, US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and CIA Director John Ratcliffe have also denied at a Senate hearing that any classified information was shared in the group.   Mike Waltz takes responsibility

 

Meanwhile the National Security Adviser Mike Waltz took responsibility for the incident. "I take full responsibility. I built the group...It's embarrassing. We're going to get to the bottom of it," he said, as reported by BBC.

 

Goldberg had earlier alleged that on March 13, he was added to an encrypted group chat on the Signal app named "Houthi PC small group." He claimed that two days before the US launched strikes on March 15, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth posted information about targets, weapons, and attack sequencing. The chat reportedly also included US Vice President JD Vance.  Trump draws flak

 

The incident has invited sharp criticism from President Donald Trump's opponents. Leading Democrat leaders criticised it as a serious security lapse and demanded a high-level investigation into how Goldberg was mistakenly added to the group. The administration responded by stating that the White House Counsel’s Office had already issued guidance on secure communication methods for top officials.

 

Leavitt also took aim at Goldberg. She accused him and his magazine of pushing a “sensationalist spin.” She defended the US' handling of the strikes, crediting Trump’s leadership for their success. “Terrorists were killed, and that’s what matters most to President Trump,” she said.

 

US President Donald Trump has earlier said that the reported security breach by top administration officials on social media did not contain any classified information.