Trump leadership team accidentally invites Atlantic editor to highly classified Signal war-planning channel

[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/

 

[DaveXA]

Holy sheet...it's the gift that keeps on giving.

And in case anyone doesn't know, this is blatant violation of several OpSec and DOD regs. It's a fireable offense for every other official in the agency. I personally know people who have been reassigned or disciplined for far less. This sort of thing is covered multiple times during annual mandatory training. Embarrassing that he's actually still in his position.

 

[UriUT]

Holy sheet...it's the gift that keeps on giving.

And in case anyone doesn't know, this is blatant violation of several OpSec and DOD regs. It's a fireable offense for every other official in the agency. I personally know people who have been reassigned or disciplined for far less. This sort of thing is covered multiple times during annual mandatory training. Embarrassing that he's actually still in his position.

Yeah, I'm willing to bet that those areas are intentionally structured to block cell service. He wouldn't consider the reason for the lack of service...But, anti dei, unqualified white male wanted to tell his friends and family about war plans so they can be proud of their falling up alcoholic.

 

[DaveXA]

Yeah, I'm willing to bet that those areas are intentionally structured to block cell service. He wouldn't consider the reason for the lack of service...But, anti dei, unqualified white male wanted to tell his friends and family about war plans so they can be proud of their falling up alcoholic.

To be absolutely clear, if he's in a classified, secured space, that in all likelihood is a SCIF. You can't just download programs onto approved DOD devices without tech support. So it's highly unlikely he installed it himself. He would have had a tech from IT remotely install it. IT likely has cleared personnel who can perform the installation on site as well.

I suspect he told them he's the SecDef and they had to do what he tells them to do.

And you're correct, most, if not all, SCIFs do block wireless signals in and out of the room.

 

[SFIDC3]

Holy sheet...it's the gift that keeps on giving.

And in case anyone doesn't know, this is blatant violation of several OpSec and DOD regs. It's a fireable offense for every other official in the agency. I personally know people who have been reassigned or disciplined for far less. This sort of thing is covered multiple times during annual mandatory training. Embarrassing that he's actually still in his position.

At least at DOL, when I was there, a user could not install anything on their desktop, only admin access (almost exclusively done by user profile and authentication). My question would be did DOD/Pentagon IT security folks circumvent procedure and actually do it or let him do it? If so all of them and Hegseth should be fired....

 

[DaveXA]

At least at DOL, when I was there, a user could not install anything on their desktop, only admin access (almost exclusively done by user profile and authentication). My question would be did DOD/Pentagon IT security folks circumvent procedure and actually do it or let him do it? If so all of them and Hegseth should be fired....

Correct. The user can't install anything unless the program/software was pushed to the laptop by IT/Admins. Almost all computers are laptops in our case, but they are treated the same way as desktops would be.

I seriously doubt they gave him Admin privileges, so I think it's safe to assume a tech did the install. That said, anyone involved in circumventing security protocols absolutely should be at least sanctioned if not fired.

 

[efil4]

Trump is being interviewed today by Jeffery Goldberg.

 

[SFIDC3]

Correct. The user can't install anything unless the program/software was pushed to the laptop by IT/Admins. Almost all computers are laptops in our case, but they are treated the same way as desktops would be.

I seriously doubt they gave him Admin privileges, so I think it's safe to assume a tech did the install. That said, anyone involved in circumventing security protocols absolutely should be at least sanctioned if not fired.

I don't seriously doubt that at all, I could see him coming in and demanding he have full control of his devices......With no one to stop him because of fear of retribution.....either way a serious security breach by someone who had unlimited access to US military security plans/data/etc.....so far beyond the pale, it's insane....

 

[Optimus Prime]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had an internet connection that bypassed the Pentagon’s security protocols set up in his office to use the Signal messaging app on a personal computer, two people familiar with the line told The Associated Press.

The existence of the unsecured internet connection is the latest revelation about Hegseth’s use of the unclassified app and raises the possibility that sensitive defense information could have been put at risk of potential hacking or surveillance.

Known as a “dirty” internet line by the IT industry, it connects directly to the public internet where the user’s information and the websites accessed do not have the same security filters or protocols that the Pentagon’s secured connections maintain.

Other Pentagon offices have used them, particularly if there’s a need to monitor information or websites that would otherwise be blocked.

But the biggest advantage of using such a line is that the user would not show up as one of the many IP addresses assigned to the Defense Department — essentially the user is masked, according to a senior U.S. official familiar with military network security………..

Hegseth had an unsecured internet line set up in his office to connect to Signal, AP sources say

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had an internet connection that bypassed the Pentagon’s security protocols set up in his office to use the Signal messaging app on a personal computer.

apnews.com

 

[fooferdoggie]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had an internet connection that bypassed the Pentagon’s security protocols set up in his office to use the Signal messaging app on a personal computer, two people familiar with the line told The Associated Press.

now we know why the White House got starlink.

 

[superchuck500]

He’s got to be gone after this good lord

 

[DaveXA]

now we know why the White House got starlink.

No kidding.

 

[MT15]

The most unqualified person to ever hold his position is also a terrible liar. He has a tell: