The accidental leak of classified Yemen war plans occurred when National Security Advisor Michael Waltz inadvertently added Jeffrey Goldberg, editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, to a high-level Signal group chat called "Houthi PC small group"1. This chat included top Trump administration officials such as Vice President JD Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio1. Goldberg received detailed information about upcoming U.S. strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen, including specifics on weapons packages, targets, and attack timing, approximately two hours before the operation began on March 1523.

The leak exposed significant policy disagreements within the administration, with Vice President Vance expressing reservations about the timing of the strikes1. It also raised serious concerns about the Trump administration's handling of classified information, as the use of non-government-sanctioned messaging apps for such sensitive discussions potentially violates security protocols4. The incident has prompted calls for investigations and hearings from both Democrats and Republicans, with some officials suggesting that Waltz's position as National Security Advisor may be in jeopardy56.

The White House has confirmed the authenticity of the leaked Signal group chat, with National Security Council spokesman Brian Hughes stating, "The message thread that was reported appears to be authentic, and we are reviewing how an inadvertent number was added to the chain."1 The administration has launched an investigation into the security breach, focusing on how classified information was shared on a non-government-sanctioned messaging app.2

President Trump initially claimed he was unaware of the sensitive information being shared, telling reporters he knew "nothing" about the incident approximately 2.5 hours after it was reported.3 The State Department has also addressed the leak, with spokesperson Tammy Bruce fielding questions about the "inadvertent" sharing of military plans by top officials.4 As the situation unfolds, the White House faces mounting pressure to address the security lapse and its potential consequences for national security and international relations.

The accidental leak of classified Yemen war plans to a journalist has sparked outrage and concern among members of Congress from both parties. Here's a summary of the congressional reactions:

• Democratic Sen. Jacky Rosen of Nevada condemned the incident as a "reckless handling of highly sensitive information" and "an inexcusable failure that has weakened our national security and put American lives at risk"1.

• Republican Rep. Don Bacon, who serves on the House Armed Services Committee, called the leak "concerning" and emphasized that such information should never be sent over non-secure systems2.

• Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) described the incident as a "huge screw-up" and suggested an inter-agency investigation should be conducted2.

• Some lawmakers have called for immediate hearings on the incident to address the security breach and its implications2.

• Congressional leaders expressed alarm over the Trump administration's handling of highly classified information, with both Democrats and Republicans raising concerns about potential violations of security protocols and espionage laws34.

The accidental leak of classified Yemen war plans has drawn sharp criticism from national security experts and former officials. Leon Panetta, who served as Defense Secretary under President Obama, expressed disbelief at the incident, stating that "somebody, frankly, needs to get fired" and that the leak "could violate espionage laws" and "undermine our national security"12.

National security professionals have highlighted several critical issues with the Trump administration's handling of sensitive information:

• The use of Signal, a publicly available encrypted messaging service, for discussing classified war plans violates U.S. government protocols3.

• The incident exposed a lack of basic operational security measures among high-ranking officials4.

• The leak potentially compromised ongoing military operations and could make allies wary of sharing intelligence with the United States5.

• Some experts have raised concerns about potential violations of the Espionage Act, though the legal implications remain unclear4.

The overwhelming consensus among experts is that this security failure represents a "serious blunder" that demands immediate investigation and accountability2.