On Thursday, March 13, Jeffrey Goldberg, the editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, was inadvertently added to a private group chat on the encrypted messaging app Signal. The chat titled “Houthi PC small group” was reportedly being used to coordinate a military strike on Houthi rebel forces in Yemen – where rebel forces, particularly the Houthi movement, are engaged in a protracted war against the internationally recognized government (The Guardian).
According to sources familiar with the incident, the group discussion included sensitized topics such as the timing of the operation, deliberations on political messaging, coordination of personnel, and the types of weapons to be used (The Guardian). The Atlantic published the entire sequence of texts sent in the group chat among President Donald Trump’s top national security officials discussing the pending military strikes (CNN.com). The presence of a high-profile journalist in the group chat went unnoticed by participants for an undisclosed period of time, making the highly secretive information public to the American people and other journalists and government officials (CNN.com).
When asked about the leak, Junior Meghan Prendergast states, “This whole incident seems unprofessional and definitely something that could’ve been avoided. I think this will serve as a reminder for future government protocol and conversations.”
The incident has raised concerns about the handling of classified or sensitive information within government operations, including practices within the Trump Administration. While it is unclear how Goldberg was added to the chat, the situation has drawn scrutiny regarding communication protocols, platforms for this type of classified information, and operational security.
English teacher Mr. Hedges, when asked about this scandal, commented, “I think for those who already didn’t have trust in the government, this scandal validates their concerns. With a scandal like this, their trust must be completely out of the window.”
No official comment has been made by Goldberg of The Atlantic regarding the incident. There has also been no public statement from relevant government or military entities confirming or denying the details of the chat or its participants (News.Sky.com).
The large role of media and broadcast journalism in political affairs is extremely prominent in shifting the views of the American public. The leakage of this classified information has significant detrimental effects on how the Trump Administration is viewed, and how potential misconceptions can be spread across the media.
“There needs to be accountability and honesty when it comes to mistakes being made. It’s easier to trust people when they admit their wrongdoing,” said Mr. Hedges.
This severely takes a toll on the image of all government personnel in office, and the credibility of officials and their abilities to contain private information. The widespread publication also poses a risk to international relations, not just with Yemen, but with other countries that are involved with the United States (The Guardian).
The situation underscores the potential risks associated with digital communication
