The BLUF - March 25th

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This is Atlas, and you’re reading the Bottom Line Up Front, where we cover the top geopolitical stories from around the world every Tuesday!

Today’s topics:

• U.S. Military Operation Discussions Included Journalist, Added ‘Inadvertently’ To Group Chat

• Turkey’s Top Political Rival Jailed on Corruption Charges

• South Korea’s Prime Minister Reinstated by Court

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U.S. Military Operation Discussions Included Journalist, Added ‘Inadvertently’ To Group Chat

_{By: Atlas}

The editor of a major American magazine was accidentally added to a high-level government chat where military strikes were being planned, according to Jeffrey Goldberg, editor-in-chief of The Atlantic. In what is most likely a security breach, which has politicians on both sides of the aisle airing grievances, it was revealed Monday that Goldberg was inadvertently included in a Signal group chat where top Trump administration officials coordinated the March 15 airstrikes against Houthi targets in Yemen.

"The world found out shortly before 2 p.m. eastern time on March 15 that the United States was bombing Houthi targets across Yemen," Goldberg wrote in his report. "I, however, knew two hours before the first bombs exploded that the attack might be coming."

The Text That Shouldn't Have Been Sent

The bizarre chain of events began on March 11, when Goldberg received a connection request on Signal from someone identifying themselves as Michael Waltz, President Trump's national security adviser. Two days later, Goldberg was added to a chat group labeled "Houthi PC small group" – PC standing for principals committee, typically comprising the senior-most national security officials in the administration.

For days, Goldberg watched as messages poured in from accounts identifying themselves as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, DNI Tulsi Gabbard, and other high-ranking officials – all apparently oblivious to the journalist's presence in their midst.

The most revelatory message arrived at 11:44 a.m. on Saturday, March 15, when the account labeled "Pete Hegseth" sent what Goldberg described as a "TEAM UPDATE" containing operational details of the forthcoming strikes on Yemen. The message reportedly included information about targets, weapons the U.S. would be deploying, and attack sequencing. Two hours later, at around 1:45 p.m., the first explosions were reported in Sanaa, Yemen's capital.

"Inadvertent Number" Added to the Chain

After Goldberg published his account, National Security Council spokesman Brian Hughes stated: "This appears to be an authentic message chain, and we are reviewing how an inadvertent number was added to the chain."

Hughes attempted to downplay the severity of the breach, adding, "The thread is a demonstration of the deep and thoughtful policy coordination between senior officials. The ongoing success of the Houthi operation demonstrates that there were no threats to troops or national security."

The casual use of a commercial messaging app for discussing classified military operations has stunned national security experts. Signal, while providing end-to-end encryption, is not approved by the government for sharing classified information. Normally, such discussions would take place in secure government facilities or through approved government communications systems.

Congressional Firestorm

Both parties have expressed alarm over the security lapse.

"This is an outrageous national security breach and heads should roll," said Rep. Chris Deluzio (D-Pa.), a member of the House Armed Services Committee, calling for "a full investigation and hearing."

Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.), another Armed Services Committee member and former Air Force brigadier general, acknowledged that while anyone might accidentally text the wrong person, "The unconscionable action was sending this info over non-secure networks. None of this should have been sent on non-secure systems. Russia and China are surely monitoring his unclassified phone."

Senator Mark Warner (D-Va.), the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, didn't mince words: "This administration is playing fast and loose with our nation's most classified info, and it makes all Americans less safe."

The Vance Factor

What makes the breach even more extraordinary is the apparent policy disagreement it revealed at the highest levels of the administration. According to Goldberg, Vice President Vance expressed reservations about the timing of the strikes.

"I think we are making a mistake," Vance reportedly wrote. "3 percent of US trade runs through the Suez. 40 percent of European trade does. There is a real risk that the public doesn't understand this or why it's necessary."

Vance also questioned whether President Trump fully grasped the implications: "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."

After the article's publication, Vance's spokesperson, William Martin, rushed to minimize any appearance of daylight between the vice president and Trump: "Vice President Vance unequivocally supports this administration's foreign policy. The President and the Vice President have had subsequent conversations about this matter and are in complete agreement."

Past Tensions Add to the Irony

The irony of Goldberg being accidentally included in the chat wasn't lost on Washington insiders. In 2020, Goldberg authored a controversial article claiming Trump had disparaged American troops buried in France as "suckers" and "losers" – allegations Trump vehemently denied but which became a frequent talking point for Democrats during the 2020 campaign.

Navy records later showed that, contrary to Goldberg's reporting, military personnel had indeed made a "bad weather call" canceling the helicopter flight that would have taken Trump to the cemetery – seemingly supporting Trump's version of events. Goldberg never corrected his story.

Legal and Security Implications

National security lawyers consulted by The Atlantic suggested that coordinating sensitive military operations over Signal may have violated several provisions of the Espionage Act, which governs the handling of "national defense" information.

Additionally, Waltz reportedly set some messages in the group to disappear after one week, and others after four – raising questions about whether officials may have violated federal records laws, which require preservation of communications about official acts.

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