There’s disbelief around the world after a journalist was accidentally added to a group chat in which US officials were planning military strikes. Messages include JD Vance and Pete Hegseth bluntly criticising Europe. Listen to the Trump 100 podcast as you scroll.
Tuesday 25 March 2025 23:33, UK
Live reporting by Kieren Williams
That’s all for tonight.
Scroll down to catch up on the day’s developments and stick with Sky News tomorrow for any more news on the US security breach.
First off, let’s summarise everything that’s happened so far:
Then here’s a timeline of events leading up to the article’s publication:
And watch more on the „stunning security breach“ here:
While news of the security breach has sent shockwaves not just through Washington, but in Europe too, Trump’s administration has sought to downplay the implications.
They’ve said the information wasn’t classified and said no war plans were discussed.
Donald Trump himself also seemed reluctant to answer questions on it earlier, during an executive order signing.
However, the story shows no sign of going away, so here’s what to keep an eye out for.
Will anyone be fired?
Trump resisted being drawn on whether anyone would be fired in the fallout from the security breach.
But earlier, Sky News was told that he might take action if he begins to personally feel the heat from this issue.
If it does come to that, who will be fired?
His options would seemingly be some of his most senior officials and loyal supporters.
Firing someone would also be an apparent admission of wrongdoing – something the White House has avoided so far.
What will any ‚looking into‘ the breach find?
The Democratic Party has led calls for a formal investigation to be held into the security breach.
Members of the relevant Senate committee are said to be weighing up their next steps.
But the Trump administration has so far resisted such calls.
Mike Waltz earlier said: „We’re looking into and reviewing how the heck he [the journalist] got into this room.“
It isn’t clear how deep this „looking into“ is, or if it will resemble an investigation.
Similarly, what will be the findings and will a government that has repeatedly stressed its commitment to transparency publish them?
Is there more to come from Goldberg?
Jeffrey Goldberg, the Atlantic editor who published the original piece and was added to the group chat, said he didn’t want to share any more sensitive information.
But, talking to CNN, Goldberg said: „I’m just continuing my reporting. More TK.“
TK is an abbreviation for „to come“, suggesting this story isn’t over yet.
How widespread is the use of Signal?
During the executive order signing, Trump was eventually drawn on the security breach.
He claimed not to know much, but did say that Signal was widely used within the government, and the army as well.
Trump wouldn’t elaborate on whether this use included more sensitive discussions, or was purely for planning the next Friday social.
There were 18 people in the group chat that planned the US airstrikes targeting Houthi rebels in Yemen this month.
Many of those members were the most senior officials in the Trump administration – and, of course, a journalist who spilled the group’s secrets.
So who was in the chat? Here’s a full breakdown…
It has been an extraordinary day in the US as Washington reels from a security breach Trump’s team is trying to downplay.
Here are some of the best images from the day:
Minority leader Hakeem Jeffries has written to Donald Trump, urging him to sack Pete Hegseth.
The Democrat described Hegseth as „the most unqualified Secretary of Defence in American history“ in a short letter.
Read his letter in full below:
„Dear President Trump:
„Pete Hegseth is the most unqualified Secretary of Defence in American history.
„His continued presence in the top position of leadership at the Pentagon threatens the nation’s security and puts our brave men and women in uniform throughout the world in danger.
„The so-called Secretary of Defence recklessly and casually disclosed highly sensitive war plans – including the timing of a pending attack, possible strike targets and the weapons to be used – during an unclassified national security group chat that inexplicably included a reporter.
„His behaviour shocks the conscience, risked American lives and likely violated the law.
„Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth should be fired immediately.
„Sincerely,
„Hakeem Jeffries, Democratic Leader.“
The Pentagon reportedly warned of a known vulnerability on the Signal chat app, in an email sent out prior to the publication of The Atlantic article, our US partner network NBC News reports.
The memo was sent in a department-wide email, NBC said, citing two defence officials.
It reported the email said: „Russia-aligned threat groups are actively targeting the Signal Messenger application of individuals likely to exchange sensitive military and government communications related to the war in Ukraine.“
Employees were told the vulnerability could be mitigated by updating to the latest version of the app and applying proper settings.
The email added that Google’s threat intelligence team released a report last month that highlighted Russia-linked groups using a Signal QR code to link a malicious actor’s phone to another device.
This, it was reported, allowed the messages of the linked phone to be read.
NSA guidance was also shared in the warning, NBC reported.
It warned Signal was vulnerable to spying and hacking by Russian groups.
„This allows the group to view every message sent by the unwitting user in real time, bypassing the end-to-end encryption,“ it was reported the guidance said.
Watch Sky News military analyst Michael Clarke discuss the breach in the video below:
Members of the Senate committee that some have called on to investigate the security breach are weighing up their next steps.
We reported previously on the Senate Armed Services Committee.
Democrats, reported in our 19.30 post, said they wanted the committee to lead the investigation.
And Senate majority leader John Thune said he „suspects“ the committee may hold hearings over the security breach – but stopped short of confirming it was taking place.
Sky News‘ US partner NBC News reported on members of the committee weighing up their next steps.
Senator Jack Reed, the committee’s ranking member, told NBC he wants Pete Hegseth to testify about the Signal chat.
„Also, it would reaffirm his assertions that there was nothing unusual or inappropriate about the conversation,“ he added.
The committee’s chair senator Roger Wicker said no decision had been made on a path forward.
Reed said getting a copy of the Signal chat was a priority for Democrats.
„There is no legitimate basis for him to withhold information from the committee that he claims is unclassified and has already been shared with a journalist,“ he said.
Other members of the Intelligence Committee also said they would like to see copies of the group.
Just to bring you a bit of news from Trump’s comments earlier.
He was speaking during an executive order signing.
When asked about comments that Europe was freeloading, Trump asked if the journalist really wanted an answer.
He then went on: „Europe has been freeloading.
„The EU has been freeloading us on trade, it’s terrible. Absolutely terrible.
„I don’t blame Europe for this … I blame Biden.“
A former senior director of the White House Situation Room has said the security breach „boggles the mind“.
The World With Yalda Hakim is bringing us more response and analysis of the biggest story out the US today.
Larry Pfeiffer served as former senior director of the White House Situation Room under Barack Obama.
Speaking to Sky News, he described how they had developed a range of „secure communication devices“ to let the US government’s most senior discuss sensitive information.
„It’s with them 24/7 … they have it everywhere,“ he said.
Speaking from Maryland, he added: „It boggles the mind as to why they would have made this conscious decision to put these conversations onto a non-government platform like Signal.“
Trump sets the tone
He went on to add that Trump set the tone for a „laissez-faire“ attitude to handling classified material in his previous term.
„I can see where people under him might decide to cut corners.“
In US security news, adjacent to the breach, vice president JD Vance has said he’s going to join his wife on a visit to Greenland.
Once upon a time, this trip would have been unremarkable.
But it comes as President Donald Trump has made repeated overtures to wanting to annex Greenland.
In a post on social media, Vance said: „Looking forward to visiting Greenland on Friday.
„A lot of other countries have threatened Greenland, have threatened to use its territories and its waterways to threaten the United States, to threaten Canada, and of course, to threaten the people of Greenland.
„So we are going to check out how things are going there.
„Unfortunately, leaders in both America and in Denmark, I think, ignored Greenland for far too long.“
Watch the VP speak below:
For context:
Trump previously said he thinks the US will annex Greenland.
During an Oval Office meeting with NATO secretary general Mark Rutte earlier this month, he was asked about his hopes to take the land.
„I think that will happen,“ he said. „I didn’t give it much thought before, but I’m sitting with a man who could be very instrumental.
„You know Mark, we need that for international security.
„We have a lot of our favourite players cruising around the coast and we have to be careful.“
Greenland has been controlled by Denmark for centuries, first as a colony, then as a semi-sovereign territory.
It is subject to the Danish constitution, meaning any change to its legal status would require a constitutional amendment.
A US delegation was already visiting Greenland and a US military base there.
The group includes Usha Vance and national security adviser Mike Waltz.
They’re there from Thursday to Saturday.
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US security breach latest: Magazine hits back after Trump 'sleazeball' journalist jibe in row over group chat scandal – Sky News
