Trump leadership team accidentally invites Atlantic editor to highly classified Signal war-planning channel (7 Viewers)

[superchuck500]

This needs a thread of its own - we can pull the posts out of Misc Trump. This story is (1) absolutely mindblowing and (2) not mindblowing at all because Trump has never really understood the value of high-caliber professionals and has surrounded himself with dramatically unqualified dolts.

I accepted the connection request, hoping that this was the actual national security adviser, and that he wanted to chat about Ukraine, or Iran, or some other important matter.

Two days later—Thursday—at 4:28 p.m., I received a notice that I was to be included in a Signal chat group. It was called the “Houthi PC small group.”

A message to the group, from “Michael Waltz,” read as follows: “Team – establishing a principles [sic] group for coordination on Houthis, particularly for over the next 72 hours. My deputy Alex Wong is pulling together a tiger team at deputies/agency Chief of Staff level following up from the meeting in the Sit Room this morning for action items and will be sending that out later this evening.”

The message continued, “Pls provide the best staff POC from your team for us to coordinate with over the next couple days and over the weekend. Thx.”

The term principals committee generally refers to a group of the senior-most national-security officials, including the secretaries of defense, state, and the treasury, as well as the director of the CIA. It should go without saying—but I’ll say it anyway—that I have never been invited to a White House principals-committee meeting, and that, in my many years of reporting on national-security matters, I had never heard of one being convened over a commercial messaging app.

One minute later, a person identified only as “MAR”—the secretary of state is Marco Antonio Rubio—wrote, “Mike Needham for State,” apparently designating the current counselor of the State Department as his representative. At that same moment, a Signal user identified as “JD Vance” wrote, “Andy baker for VP.” One minute after that, “TG” (presumably Tulsi Gabbard, the director of national intelligence, or someone masquerading as her) wrote, “Joe Kent for DNI.” Nine minutes later, “Scott B”—apparently Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, or someone spoofing his identity, wrote, “Dan Katz for Treasury.” At 4:53 p.m., a user called “Pete Hegseth” wrote, “Dan Caldwell for DoD.” And at 6:34 p.m., “Brian” wrote “Brian McCormack for NSC.” One more person responded: “John Ratcliffe” wrote at 5:24 p.m. with the name of a CIA official to be included in the group. I am not publishing that name, because that person is an active intelligence officer.

The principals had apparently assembled. In all, 18 individuals were listed as members of this group, including various National Security Council officials; Steve Witkoff, President Trump’s Middle East and Ukraine negotiator; Susie Wiles, the White House chief of staff; and someone identified only as “S M,” which I took to stand for Stephen Miller. I appeared on my own screen only as “JG.”

That was the end of the Thursday text chain.

full story: https://www.theatlantic.com/politic...-accidentally-texted-me-its-war-plans/682151/

 

[superchuck500]

This story is so damaging that Jeff Goldberg might need to fear reprisal - toxic personalities like Trump don’t think “who on my team is accountable!?” he thinks “I’m gonna burn this guy down for revealing it.”

He might even insist that it’s all made up and order prosecution. I’m sure Goldberg and the Atlantic have fully gone over all of that and taken the right steps but this is that kind of story.

 

[MT15]

I saw a post that said the spokesperson had verified the authenticity of the article’s revealed messages, his take was that since nobody died it’s not a big deal. I don’t remember which agency the spokesperson was with.

Edited to add the quote (this is from an NBC article)

“At this time, the message thread that was reported appears to be authentic, and we are reviewing how an inadvertent number was added to the chain,” the National Security Council said in a statement to NBC News.

The statement came in response to an article published Monday by The Atlantic’s Jeffrey Goldberg, a veteran national security and foreign affairs journalist. Goldberg reported he had been added to a group chat called “Houthi PC small group” on March 13 via Signal, an encrypted messaging service widely believed to be more secure than other commercial texting applications.”

Also:

 

[Incumbent]

Hegseth: it didn’t happen.

 

[MT15]

 

[MT15]

Everybody needs to message or call all their congressional reps today or tomorrow and ask them to call for resignations. These people are dangerously stupid and need to be gone.

 

[Incumbent]

Not for me! Almost everything that he has done has gone just as I thought it would but with one surprise. I didn't see the "Blame Canada" thing coming at all!

Yep. Last time, he was surrounded by institutionalists who at least provided guardrails. It was clear he regretted that and it was known in the lead up to this last election that he was going to surround himself with sycophants this time.

Everything is now a consequence of the jawdropping incompetence of this administration. It will only continue to get worse.

 

[efil4]

This story is so damaging that Jeff Goldberg might need to fear reprisal - toxic personalities like Trump don’t think “who on my team is accountable!?” he thinks “I’m gonna burn this guy down for revealing it.”

He might even insist that it’s all made up and order prosecution. I’m sure Goldberg and the Atlantic have fully gone over all of that and taken the right steps but this is that kind of story.

I think we are seeing step 1 now.

Downplay/deny

If it doesn't go away...

move to step 2.go on the attack.

 

[efil4]

Hegseth: it didn’t happen.

Hegseth skipped Step 1.

Meaning the Administration isn't even on same page with messaging.

Wanna know how discombulated he was? Listen starting at 52 seconds.

Hegseth rants "we've been managing 4 years of deferred maintenance (re Houthis) from the TRUMP administration"

He clearly meant Biden but was so unnerved, he said Trump.

 

[MT15]

Hegseth is lying. He should be hauled before Congress and made to answer for what happened as well as the CIA director - they both texted specific plans involving targets, positions of US military members and specific types of weapons to be used - prior to the operation.

They violated several security laws and the records act since the texts are set to automatically disappear.

 

[MT15]

Hegseth went straight to attack mode.

 

[superchuck500]

I think we are seeing step 1 now.

Downplay/deny

If it doesn't go away...

move to step 2.go on the attack.

There’s that classic Trump word: hoax!

 

[GrandAdmiral]

I'm going to go add Signal to my tablet just in case these dumb forks want to share some shirt with me...

We have more than 3 years of this shirt.

 

[bird]

Stupid is as stupid does.

Awaiting some people to tell us it was no big deal.

 

[samiam5211]

fork every single one if you who voted for this.

I hope your grandchildren are mentally challenged or steril.

 

[superchuck500]

 

[superchuck500]

 

[efil4]

Hegseth: it didn’t happen.

Hegseth skipped Step 1.

Meaning the Administration isn't even on same page with messaging.

Wanna know how discombulated he was? Listen at 53

 

[longtime lurker]

Everybody needs to message or call all their congressional reps today or tomorrow and ask them to call for resignations. These people are dangerously stupid and need to be gone.

Thank you…I’m making my calls tomorrow.

Great points….wake up Democrat leaders and let’s hear your outrage. Enough sleeping at the wheel with this hideous second rate administration.