Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth accused Jeffrey Goldberg of spreading hoaxes about U.S. war plans for Yemen after being mistakenly included in a group chat. He labeled Goldberg as a deceitful journalist and firmly stated that war plans were not transmitted. Hegseth did not clarify the reasons for using Signal or how Goldberg was involved.
Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth accused Jeffrey Goldberg, Editor-in-Chief of The Atlantic, of disseminating falsehoods regarding the U.S. national security team’s communication about Yemen’s conflict. During his initial Indo-Pacific visit in Hawaii, Hegseth labeled Goldberg a “so-called journalist” and expressed disdain for his reporting by stating, “this is the guy who peddles in garbage.” He affirmed that no war plans had been disseminated via text. Hegseth refrained from elaborating on why a secure application, Signal, was utilized or how Goldberg was incorporated in the confidential chat.
In summary, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth’s allegations against Jeffrey Goldberg underscore a significant tension around media reporting on sensitive military communications. Hegseth’s emphatic denials of any discussions of war plans highlight concerns about journalistic integrity in covering national security matters. As the situation unfolds, further clarity on the use of digital communication among officials may be required to understand the context better.
Original Source: www.independent.co.uk