U.S. national-security leaders included me in a group chat (theatlantic.com)

Article summary

The article's author received a Signal message from a user claiming to be Michael Waltz, the national security adviser, inviting them to a group chat about a pending military action against the Houthis in Yemen. The author was included in a conversation with high-ranking US officials, including the vice president and secretaries of defense and state, discussing the operation's details. The conversation appeared to be real, and the author witnessed the officials discussing and coordinating the military strike, which was later carried out. The author notes that this is a highly unusual and potentially illegal use of a non-governmental messaging app for sensitive national security discussions.

Main themes

• National Security
• Government Transparency
• Signal App Security
• US Politics
• Military Operations
• Information Leaks

What commenters say

• The use of a non-governmental messaging app for sensitive national security discussions is a serious breach of protocol and potentially illegal.
• The Trump administration's handling of national security is characterized by incompetence and recklessness.
• The Democrats are unable to effectively counter the Republicans due to their lack of unity and leadership.
• Protests and marches can be an effective way for the Democrats to mobilize and challenge the Trump administration, but they must be large-scale and persistent to have an impact.
• The use of Signal or other encrypted messaging apps is not a guarantee of security, as devices can be compromised and messages can be extracted.
• The Democrats' strategy should be to let Trump make mistakes and wait for his base to turn against him, rather than trying to impeach him.
• The Republican party's control of the government is due in part to gerrymandering, which makes it difficult for Democrats to challenge them effectively.
• The left-wing bloc of the Democratic party is divided between those who focus on identity politics and those who prioritize class struggle and anti-capitalism.