Donald Trump’s warfare textual content scandal is ‘stuff of nightmares’ and ‘frankly terrifying’
The content of the Trump administration’s leaked Signal messages discussing strikes against the Houthis was the ‘stuff of nightmares’ and ‘frankly terrifying’, according to an expert
The leaked messages from members of Donald Trump’s administration discussing war plans are the “stuff of nightmares” and “frankly terrifying”, an expert has told The Mirror.
The chat on signal, an encrypted messaging app, is not an approved form of communicating sensitive information by US government officials and could be a breach of the US espionage act. Mr Trump’s cabinet openly branded Europe “pathetic freeloaders” and discussed striking military targets in the bombshell chat where The Atlantic magazine editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg was added. Mr Goldberg said messages in the chat, named “Houthi PC Small Group”, included precise information about targets and the timings of attacks.
Democrat lawmakers slammed US officials who were on the group chat for carelessly having added the journalist to such highly sensitive information and shared concerns that groups in China and Russia could infiltrate any Signal chats.
It is also unclear whether officials in the chat were using their government issued mobile phones or whether they were using their own private ones when discussing the strikes in Yemen.
Following the bombing, several officials used emojis to celebrate the attacks. They included a fist, flexed bicep and fire. Body language expert Judi James was stunned by the apparent unserious tone taken by members in the chat.
She told The Mirror: “This form of communication is only ever accurate when it comes to simple directions like ‘See you at 2.30’. Relaying powerfully important messages that affect global peace is quite frankly a terrifying concept. Seeing one of these giants on the global stage speaking via emoji is probably the stuff of nightmares.”
The group chat at times shifted focus onto what appeared to be an intense dislike of European politicians. The US Secretary of Defense said while discussing the military strike: “I fully share your loathing of European free-loading. It’s pathetic.”
Another member of the group, who was only identified as “SM”, then suggested the US should “make clear to Egypt and Europe what we expect in return”.
“If Europe doesn’t remunerate, then what?,” they said. “If the US successfully restores freedom of navigation at great cost there needs to be some further economic gain extracted in return.”
Mr Trump has responded to the leaked chat scandal, branding Mr Goldberg a “total sleazebag” and defending his National Security Advisor Michael Waltz, who is facing calls to resign over the blunder.
Mr Trump said today: “But that’s an app that a lot of people use. And somebody got on… And I happen to know, the guy’s a total sleazebag. The Atlantic, The Atlantic is a failed magazine. Does very, very poorly, nobody gives a damn about it. This gives it a little bit of a shot.”
The group chat included Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Tulsi Gabbard, Mr Trump’s director of national intelligence.
