National Security Breach: iPhone Error Exposes Military Strike Plans to Journalist

Summary

National Security Advisor Mike Waltz Accidentally Shares Classified Information via iPhone

On March 13, National Security Advisor Mike Waltz inadvertently invited journalist Jeffrey Goldberg to a secret discussion about a strategic military strike using the Signal app. The mistake occurred when Waltz accepted an iPhone-suggested contact update for National Security Council spokesperson Brian Hughes, which actually belonged to Goldberg.

Goldberg received and joined the chat, which was intended for White House advisors, and subsequently reported on it in The Atlantic. This led to the disclosure of sensitive information, including the name of the chat—'Houthi PC small group'—and details about planned military action against the Houthis in Yemen.

This incident highlights the risks associated with using personal devices and third-party apps for handling classified information. The Biden administration has also relied on Signal due to its secure encryption features, as the government lacks its own secure messaging system.