Atlantic Editor Added to White House Chat: How?

An exclusive report reveals how Jeffrey Goldberg, editor of The Atlantic, unexpectedly found himself in a White House Signal group chat. National Security Advisor Mike Waltz mistakenly added Goldberg due to a contact mix-up months in the making.

The Accidental Addition

Insiders say Waltz saved Goldberg’s number under a different contact. The mishap occurred during the 2024 campaign but wasn’t discovered until Waltz created the chat last month.

Trump’s Reaction

Donald Trump was reportedly upset that Waltz had Goldberg’s number, especially since The Atlantic is a publication Trump often criticizes. However, Trump decided against firing Waltz.

How It Happened

Here’s the breakdown of how Goldberg’s number ended up in Waltz’s phone:

• Goldberg emailed the Trump campaign with a critical story.
• The email was forwarded to Brian Hughes, then a Trump spokesperson.
• Hughes texted the email content to Waltz, including Goldberg’s signature with his number.
• Waltz’s iPhone seemingly auto-saved Goldberg’s number to Hughes’ contact card.

Later, when Waltz tried adding Hughes to the “Houthi PC small group” Signal chat, he inadvertently added Goldberg.

Aftermath and Investigation

The White House IT office launched a “forensic review.” Goldberg acknowledged knowing and speaking to Waltz. Despite the mishap, Trump has publicly supported Waltz.

The White House authorized using Signal due to the lack of a better cross-agency communication platform, even though it’s not entirely secure.

Source: Based on reporting from Hugo Lowell, The Guardian.

Tags: White House, Jeffrey Goldberg, Mike Waltz, Signal, Trump Administration, National Security, Media.