A Democracy Drive Thread
The defense secretary, national security adviser and other top officials planned airstrikes on Yemen in a Signal group chat that accidentally included a journalist. What followed: denials, attacks on the reporter, blame for Biden, and no investigation.
In March 2025, The Atlantic’s editor revealed he had been added to a Signal group chat where the administration’s top national security officials discussed upcoming strikes in Yemen, including timing and weapons, before the bombs fell. Any career service member who handled operational details this way would face investigation. This thread tracks, in order and with sources, how the administration responded: calling it a hoax and a “witch hunt,” insisting nothing was classified, blaming the previous administration, declining to investigate, and then the further discovery that officials used personal Gmail for government business. The entries are in order so the pattern speaks for itself.
March 24, 2025
On the ground
Jeffrey Goldberg was added by Waltz. Hegseth posted operational details hours before the March 15 strikes on the Houthis. The chat also included the vice president, the secretary of state, the CIA director and the director of national intelligence.
March 25, 2025
In his own words
Ratcliffe and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard insisted no classified information was shared in the chat. Former Biden officials said Signal was never permitted on their government phones for classified material.
March 26, 2025
In his own words
He defended Hegseth and Waltz and insisted the chat held nothing classified.
March 27, 2025
In his own words
Current and former officials said exact aircraft launch times and bombing times posted before the pilots took off would have been classified. Previous cases involving Hillary Clinton’s emails and David Petraeus were investigated by the FBI.
March 30, 2025
In his own words
In a Truth Social post he praised Sen. Markwayne Mullin for pushing back on NBC’s Kristen Welker about the scandal.
April 1, 2025
On the ground
Three officials told the Post that Waltz’s team used personal Gmail for government work. Personal email accounts are not secured to government standards and can evade federal records laws.
April 2, 2025
On the ground
Rights groups said the strikes compounded a humanitarian crisis worsened by U.S. aid cuts. The deadliest strikes hit Ras Isa port on April 17, killing 84 civilians, and a migrant detention center in Saada on April 28, killing 68. A later Pentagon report to Congress acknowledged 153 civilians killed.
April 20, 2025
On the ground
The chat, “Defense | Team Huddle,” had 13 members. The Pentagon inspector general was already investigating his Signal use.
April 28, 2025
On the ground
Amnesty found no evidence the long-known civilian facility was a military target. Survivors were mostly Ethiopian migrants held by the Houthis.
May 1, 2025
President Donald Trump removed National Security Adviser Mike Waltz and his deputy, Alex Wong, from their positions. The removals occurred following a scandal involving a Signal group chat where sensitive military operation details were shared with a reporter. Additionally, right-wing activist Laura Loomer had publicly called for their ouster and met with the president to recommend the list of names for removal.
May 4, 2025
On the ground
A hacker extracted archived data in under 30 minutes. Waltz’s own messages were reportedly not exposed.