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The Atlantic’s editor-in-chief, who was inadvertently added to the Signal chat group discussing sensitive military operations, has published the messages in full after the White House and senior U.S. officials repeatedly claimed the messages did not contain classified information.
The messages from Hegseth contain a detailed timeline of when U.S. forces would strike in Yemen and the type of weapons they would use.
“TIME NOW (1144et): Weather is FAVORABLE. Just CONFIRMED w/CENTCOM we are a GO for mission launch,” Hegseth wrote at 11:44 a.m. ET on March 15.
“CENTCOM” means the military’s central command for the Middle East.
“1215et: F-18s LAUNCH (1st strike package),” Hegseth’s message continued. “1345: ‘Trigger Based’ F-18 1st Strike Window Starts (Target Terrorist is @ his Known Location so SHOULD BE ON TIME – also, Strike Drones Launch (MQ-9s).”
Mr Hegseth shared the plan approximately two hours before the bombs dropped in Yemen.
“If this text had been received by someone hostile to American interests — or someone merely indiscreet, and with access to social media — the Houthis would have had time to prepare for what was meant to be a surprise attack on their strongholds,” Mr Goldberg writes. “The consequences for American pilots could have been catastrophic.”
The White House said it objected to the release of the messages in a statement to The Atlantic.
President Donald Trump's top intelligence officials will brief House members on Wednesday on global threats facing the US where it is likely they will be questioned again over use of a group text to discuss plans for military strikes in Yemen.
CIA director John Ratcliffe, director of national intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and FBI director Kash Patel are among those who were asked to testify before the House Intelligence Committee as part of its annual review of threats facing the US.
At a similar hearing on Tuesday before the Senate Intelligence Committee, Ms Gabbard briefed members on her office's threat assessment, noting that China, Russia, Iran and North Korea continue to pose security challenges to the US, as do drug cartels and transnational criminal organisations.
Exposure of war plans ‘mind-boggling’, top Democrat tells intelligence officials
The presentations from top Trump appointees reflect Mr Trump's foreign policy priorities, including a focus on combating the flow of fentanyl, illegal immigration and human trafficking, and are taking place as Mr Trump attempts to work out a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine three years after Russia's invasion.
Tuesday's hearing was dominated by questions about Mr Ratcliffe and Ms Gabbard's participation in a group chat on Signal in which they discussed plans to strike Houthi rebels in Yemen. The group included a journalist, The Atlantic editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg.
Ms Gabbard and Mr Ratcliffe have said no classified information was included in the messages, but Democrats have decried the use of the messaging app, saying that any release of information about timetables, weapons or military activities could have put US servicemembers at risk.
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At Tuesday's hearing they asked Mr Patel, who was not a participant in the text chain, if he would investigate. It is likely House Democrats will press Mr Patel on the same question on Wednesday.
The National Security Council has said it will investigate the matter, which Mr Trump on Tuesday downplayed as a "glitch".
Mr Goldberg said he received the Signal invitation from Mike Waltz, Mr Trump's national security adviser, who was also in the group chat.