Posted on 03/24/2025 11:34:32 AM PDT by Miami Rebel
Vice President JD Vance criticized the judgment of his boss, President Donald Trump, in a leaked group chat in which Vance and several other senior Trump administration officials discussed the possibility of American military strikes against Houthi rebel targets in Yemen.
On Monday, The Atlantic‘s Jeffrey Goldberg revealed that he had accidentally been added to a Signal group chat in which the Principals Committee – the heads of the top American national security agencies — debated how and whether to strike the Houthis earlier this month.
At one point, after National Security Advisor Mike Waltz informed the group that they had been sent information regarding the administration’s plans over email, and Vance expressed concerns over the decision.
“Team, I am out for the day doing an economic event in Michigan. But I think we are making a mistake,” replied the vice president. “3 percent of US trade runs through the suez [canal]. 40 percent of European trade does. There is a real risk that the public doesn’t understand this or why it’s necessary. The strongest reason to do this is, as POTUS said, to send a message.”
“I am not sure the president is aware how inconsistent this is with his message on Europe right now. There’s a further risk that we see a moderate to severe spike in oil prices,” he added. “I am willing to support the consensus of the team and keep these concerns to myself. But there is a strong argument for delaying this a month, doing the messaging work on why this matters, seeing where the economy is, etc.”
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth professed to understand Vance’s concerns, but nevertheless pushed back.
“VP: I understand your concerns – and fully support you raising w/ POTUS. Important considerations, most of which are tough to know how they play out (economy, Ukraine peace, Gaza, etc). I think messaging is going to be tough no matter what – nobody knows who the Houthis are – which is why we would need to stay focused on: 1) Biden failed & 2) Iran funded,” wrote Hegseth. “Waiting a few weeks or a month does not fundamentally change the calculus. 2 immediate risks on waiting: 1) this leaks, and we look indecisive; 2) Israel takes an action first – or Gaza cease fire falls apart – and we don’t get to start this on our own terms. We can manage both. We are prepared to execute, and if I had final go or no go vote, I believe we should. This [is] not about the Houthis. I see it as two things: 1) Restoring Freedom of Navigation, a core national interest; and 2) Reestablish deterrence, which Biden cratered. But, we can easily pause. And if we do, I will do all we can to enforce 100% OPSEC.”
“If you think we should do it let’s go. I just hate bailing Europe out again,” Vance told Hegseth.
Vance’s comments about Trump not being “aware” of his “inconsistent” messaging are notable given the pair’s past. While he eventually developed into one of Trump’s most reflexive allies, the VP was once among his most strident critics.
During Trump’s 2016 campaign, Vance privately compared the then-candidate to Adolf Hitler and asked his followers on Twitter, “What percentage of the American population has @realDonaldTrump sexually assaulted?”
OK, I'll bite: Why single out Hegseth?
VP to POTUS relationship should be like First Officer to Captain. If he believes POTUS is missing something, he should bring it to his attention.
Atlantic is completely fabrication Democrat narrative machine.
They were publishing Trump is a Russian asset in 2015.
It’s made up. He was not on any e-Mail list.
His account (either him or an assistant) reportedly initiated the chat.
Not email - it was the Signal app, which is a consumer-grade secured chat app similar to Telegram where the users can make messages go poof.
VP to POTUS relationship should be like First Officer to Captain. If he believes POTUS is missing something, he should bring it to his attention.
Thanks.
Same difference it’s made up.
He wasn’t on the group chat.
I'm not following you. The others were at the ready in any case.
Sorry, it seems I have a habit of sometimes making sense from nonsense.
There is the CIA, then there is the MSM.
The fact that a high-level war-planning communication was broadcast is a staggering security failure.
********
Sounds like SABOTAGE to me.
Someone, and we need to find out who, wants to embarrass and hamstring President Trump and anything that he does.
Sorry, I’m typing this quickly :)
When you start a group chat of any kind (including on the Signal chat app), one person has to initiate the chat and then invite everyone else into the conversation.
So, Hegseth or one of his assistants took the action to start that chat.
Re: 115 - you don’t discuss TS level information on Signal.
Disappointed at the lax approach.
I wasn’t there, and neither were any of us...
So, we can’t say with certainty that this is fictional.
Confirmed by Brian Hughes that this occurred (reported in WaPo - yeah, I know, but it’s been confirmed by the WH:
“Brian Hughes, a spokesman for the White House National Security Council, said the message thread revealed in an extraordinary report by the Atlantic’s editor in chief, Jeffrey Goldberg, “appears to be authentic,” and that administration officials were “reviewing how an inadvertent number was added to the chain.”
The “inadvertent number” belonged to Goldberg, whose article details a robust policy discussion that occurred in the lead-up to a March 15 military operation targeting Yemen’s Houthi militants. Goldberg reported being added to the group chat, which occurred on the encrypted messaging platform Signal, by President Donald Trump’s national security adviser, Michael Waltz. Other participants included Vice President JD Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and CIA Director John Ratcliffe, the Atlantic article says.”
So, Hegseth or one of his assistants took the action to start that chat.
Now I see your reasoning. Thanks.
Is this as bad as Hilary’s unsecure server?
One thing is for sure—Vance won’t be Trump’s running mate in 2028.
You’re welcome :)
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.