A US magazine editor appears to have been sent classified military plans after President Donald Trump’s national security team accidentally included him in their group chat.
The breach, reported by Jeffrey Goldberg of The Atlantic, who was accidentally included in the Signal group chat, also included Vice President JD Vance, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, and Senator Marco Rubio.
Goldberg gained access to conversations about U.S. military operations against Houthi positions in Yemen, including the identity of a senior CIA officer, before realising the error and removing himself from the chat.
While the focus is on national security, this incident serves as a reminder for media, marketing, and government communications teams worldwide, especially those relying on encrypted messaging apps for sensitive information.
A wake-up call for communication practices
Caleb Yorke, CEO of Influence Haus, an Australian and international communications firm that also specialises in crisis communications, believes this error, though shocking, isn’t exclusive to politics.
“It’s easy to see how a communications team could mistakenly add an outsider to a confidential conversation. Instead of military actions, it might be product recalls or marketing missteps, or even the simplest of an accidental ‘CC’” Yorke explained.
“I myself, have been accidentally CC’d into a confidential email from a well-known celebrity and businesswoman discussing highly confidential information about the business and its dealings and contracts with one Australia’s major retailers.
“Just because an app is encrypted doesn’t guarantee security. Real security depends on the people, processes, and pressures they face. It is vital to always ensure that triple check before sending any non-secure communications via any type of third-party app such as Signal,” he added.
A culture of complacency
The leaked messages showed a mix of strategic planning and casual joking, with officials exchanging celebratory emojis after top secret military operations. Vance’s comment – “I just hate bailing Europe out again” – was met with laughs, despite the serious nature of the statement.
Yorke said this reflects a concerning trend: complacency and ill-thought-out plans for execution during high-pressure situations or time-sensitive events.
“Imagine a marketing team discussing sensitive information in a pitch thread shared accidentally with a client… It doesn’t just create operational headaches, it risks trust and reputational damage.”
Lessons for Australian brands
While few Australian companies will coordinate military actions through chat apps, the lessons from this incident are important for local agencies and communications professionals. Here are three key points Yorke says to consider:
• Evaluate your channels: Is your communication tool appropriate for sensitive conversations? Ensure invite links or numbers are properly vetted and approved by preferably a single administrator.
• Conduct regular access audits: Are you clear on who’s in your channels on platforms like Slack, WhatsApp, Signal, or Teams?
• Establish human checkpoints: Designate team members to ask, “Is this the right place to talk about this?”
“At Influence Haus, we have strict policies and procedures on how data, information and communications can be stored and distributed, and have multiple policies in place to ensure that no sensitive material is ever accessed outside of the agency,” Yorke added.
The ABC has confirmed the authenticity of the group chat with the White House’s National Security Council.
“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,” spokesman Brian Hughes said in a statement.
The White House has confirmed the leak is under review, though no disciplinary actions have been announced.