The group, named “Houthi PC Small group,” had 18 members, reportedly including vice president JD Vance, defense secretary Pete Hegseth, and national intelligence director Tulsi Gabbard, who were conversing freely while Goldberg had access. Goldberg remains unsure of how he was added, questioning why his presence wasn’t noticed. Typically, classified military discussions should not be conducted on public messaging platforms.

Signal is known for its end-to-end encryption to protect messages from external breaches. However, if a device is compromised or an unintended person joins the conversation, this security can be bypassed. National-security lawyers Goldberg consulted mentioned that Signal isn’t approved for sharing classified data, stressing that the chat shouldn’t have been created. By discussing military operations outside secure environments on unauthorized devices, they risk possible data breaches if any device is lost or stolen.

After explosions were reported in Yemen, the group members exchanged celebratory emoji — a flexed bicep, an American flag, and a fist bump. Goldberg even witnessed Vance saying “I am not sure the president is aware how inconsistent this is with his message on Europe right now.” Vance’s spokesperson, William Martin, is quoted downplaying the comments, saying that “The President and the Vice President have had subsequent conversations about this matter and are in complete agreement.”

Asked about the report and chat during a press conference Monday, Trump said, “I don’t know anything about it. You– you’re telling me about it for the first time.”