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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| White House security leak: who’s who in the Signal group chat | White House security leak: who’s who in the Signal group chat |
| (1 day later) | |
| Defense secretary, US vice-president and senior Trump advisers wrote openly about the strikes on Yemen | Defense secretary, US vice-president and senior Trump advisers wrote openly about the strikes on Yemen |
| Pete Hegseth | Pete Hegseth |
| US defense secretary | US defense secretary |
| The appointment of the Fox News host to head the Pentagon was highly controversial. A former Army National Guard officer, Pete Hegseth, 44, has faced allegations of sexual misconduct, financial mismanagement and alcohol abuse. | The appointment of the Fox News host to head the Pentagon was highly controversial. A former Army National Guard officer, Pete Hegseth, 44, has faced allegations of sexual misconduct, financial mismanagement and alcohol abuse. |
| His contributions to the group chat include suggesting that because Americans were unfamiliar with the Houthi armed group in Yemen that messaging could instead focus on the alleged failures of the former US president Joe Biden. | His contributions to the group chat include suggesting that because Americans were unfamiliar with the Houthi armed group in Yemen that messaging could instead focus on the alleged failures of the former US president Joe Biden. |
| He also appeared to be one of the most gung-ho participants, warning: “Waiting a few weeks or a month does not fundamentally change the calculus. 2 immediate risks on waiting: 1) this leaks, and we look indecisive; 2) Israel takes an action first – or Gaza ceasefire falls apart – and we don’t get to start this on our own terms.” Hegseth also makes references to enforcing “100%” operational security in the event the action was paused, despite the fact it was already compromised by a journalist’s presence in the group. | He also appeared to be one of the most gung-ho participants, warning: “Waiting a few weeks or a month does not fundamentally change the calculus. 2 immediate risks on waiting: 1) this leaks, and we look indecisive; 2) Israel takes an action first – or Gaza ceasefire falls apart – and we don’t get to start this on our own terms.” Hegseth also makes references to enforcing “100%” operational security in the event the action was paused, despite the fact it was already compromised by a journalist’s presence in the group. |
| Most alarming, however, was Hegseth’s sharing of a “TEAM UPDATE” the Atlantic decided not to publish because of the risk it said that it posed to US servicemen and operations in the Middle East. | Most alarming, however, was Hegseth’s sharing of a “TEAM UPDATE” the Atlantic decided not to publish because of the risk it said that it posed to US servicemen and operations in the Middle East. |
| JD Vance | JD Vance |
| US vice-president | US vice-president |
| The 40-year-old served as a press officer in Iraq for six months in a non-combat role before studying law at Yale and beginning his political career after the success of his memoir, Hillbilly Elegy. | The 40-year-old served as a press officer in Iraq for six months in a non-combat role before studying law at Yale and beginning his political career after the success of his memoir, Hillbilly Elegy. |
| In the chat, Vance, who has often appeared as Trump’s tag team partner, not least in the Oval Office pile-on of Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, displays more independence of thought in the conversation. | In the chat, Vance, who has often appeared as Trump’s tag team partner, not least in the Oval Office pile-on of Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, displays more independence of thought in the conversation. |
| “I am not sure the president is aware how inconsistent this is with his message on Europe right now. There’s a further risk that we see a moderate-to-severe spike in oil prices. I am willing to support the consensus of the team and keep these concerns to myself. But there is a strong argument for delaying this a month, doing the messaging work on why this matters, seeing where the economy is, etc.” | “I am not sure the president is aware how inconsistent this is with his message on Europe right now. There’s a further risk that we see a moderate-to-severe spike in oil prices. I am willing to support the consensus of the team and keep these concerns to myself. But there is a strong argument for delaying this a month, doing the messaging work on why this matters, seeing where the economy is, etc.” |
| Later in the chat he reinforces his animus towards Europe, previously seen at the Munich Security Conference, in a message responding to Hegseth: “If you think we should do it let’s go. I just hate bailing Europe out again.” | Later in the chat he reinforces his animus towards Europe, previously seen at the Munich Security Conference, in a message responding to Hegseth: “If you think we should do it let’s go. I just hate bailing Europe out again.” |
| Signal is a messaging app founded in 2012 that allows users to transmit texts, photos, videos and documents, as well as make audio and video calls. It uses end-to-end encryption, which protects messages against hackers and cyberattacks via an extra layer of security. Several other privacy features, such as the ability to automatically delete messages, have made it popular among communities such as journalists and activists that frequently deal with sensitive information. | |
| Signal is run by the non-profit Signal Foundation and relies on donations to function, giving it a different business model than other encrypted messaging services such as Meta-owned WhatsApp. It does not track user data to the same extent as Meta and publishes its code to allow for public auditing of its security measures. Signal, like any messaging app, is still vulnerable to human error through methods like phishing attacks or spyware which can allow hackers to gain access to users’ devices. The Signal Foundation’s president called the addition of The Atlantic’s editor-in-chief a user error rather than a problem with her app’s security. | |
| Stephen Miller | Stephen Miller |
| Senior Trump adviser | Senior Trump adviser |
| Miller, 39, a longtime bete noire for liberals due to his incendiary views on immigration and other issues, was also seen as an intellectual architect of efforts to block the election of Joe Biden in 2020, suggesting publicly that slates of “alternate” electors be sent to Congress. | Miller, 39, a longtime bete noire for liberals due to his incendiary views on immigration and other issues, was also seen as an intellectual architect of efforts to block the election of Joe Biden in 2020, suggesting publicly that slates of “alternate” electors be sent to Congress. |
| Identified by the Atlantic as SM in the conversation, he intervenes to insist that the president has already been clear about the decision to attack Yemen, suggesting that he speaks for Trump and with his authority. | Identified by the Atlantic as SM in the conversation, he intervenes to insist that the president has already been clear about the decision to attack Yemen, suggesting that he speaks for Trump and with his authority. |
| “As I heard it, the president was clear: green light, but we soon make clear to Egypt and Europe what we expect in return. We also need to figure out how to enforce such a requirement. Eg, if Europe doesn’t remunerate, then what? If the US successfully restores freedom of navigation at great cost there needs to be some further economic gain extracted in return.” | “As I heard it, the president was clear: green light, but we soon make clear to Egypt and Europe what we expect in return. We also need to figure out how to enforce such a requirement. Eg, if Europe doesn’t remunerate, then what? If the US successfully restores freedom of navigation at great cost there needs to be some further economic gain extracted in return.” |
| Michael Waltz | Michael Waltz |
| National security adviser | National security adviser |
| A former Republican member of Congress and special forces soldier who served overseas, Waltz, like other former military personnel in the chat, including Vance, Hegseth, and the director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, should have been aware of the breach of operational security involved in the chat. | A former Republican member of Congress and special forces soldier who served overseas, Waltz, like other former military personnel in the chat, including Vance, Hegseth, and the director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, should have been aware of the breach of operational security involved in the chat. |
| It was Waltz, the Atlantic suggests, who erroneously invited Jeffrey Goldberg on Signal to take part in the war planning group. | It was Waltz, the Atlantic suggests, who erroneously invited Jeffrey Goldberg on Signal to take part in the war planning group. |
| Other significant individuals on the chat | Other significant individuals on the chat |
| Steve Witkoff, the US special envoy to the Middle East, is also involved in negotiations with Russia’s president, Vladimir Putin, over a Ukraine ceasefire plan. Witkoff contributes congratulatory emojis after the Yemen attack. Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state, reported contribution amounts largely to offering congratulations on the operation, and Susie Wiles, the White House chief of staff, offers “kudos”. | Steve Witkoff, the US special envoy to the Middle East, is also involved in negotiations with Russia’s president, Vladimir Putin, over a Ukraine ceasefire plan. Witkoff contributes congratulatory emojis after the Yemen attack. Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state, reported contribution amounts largely to offering congratulations on the operation, and Susie Wiles, the White House chief of staff, offers “kudos”. |