WASHINGTON, D.C. – Representative Adam Smith (D-Wash.), Ranking Member of the House Armed Services Committee, issued the following statement in response to an article by Atlantic Journalist Jeffrey Goldberg that asserts the Trump Administration’s National Security Team texted sensitive and potentially classified information, to include the plan for the United States’ military action against Houthi targets on March 15th two hours before the operation, over an unclassified messaging app.
 
“The Atlantic’s reporting of senior Trump officials talking about classified and highly sensitive information regarding U.S. military operations on an unclassified messaging app is an appalling example of the incompetence of the Trump Administration and appears to be a violation of federal policy and law.
 
“Sharing such sensitive information over an unclassified group text chain – including targets in Yemen and other information critical to the safekeeping of our national security and national defense – also threatens to endanger U.S. national security and the lives of American service members.
 
“President Trump owes the American people an immediate explanation of how this catastrophic leak occurred and what he is doing to secure operational security and classified information before it threatens to do even greater damage to our national security. The President needs to explain what he has done to ensure it never happens again.”

###