The White House scoffed on Wednesday after The Atlantic published private Signal messages from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth the magazine called “attack plans,” saying they constituted no such thing.
National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, whose aide set up the group chat, posted on X:
No locations. No sources & methods. NO WAR PLANS. Foreign partners had already been notified that strikes were imminent:.
BOTTOM LINE: President Trump is protecting America and our interests.
No locations.
— Mike Waltz (@MikeWaltz47) March 26, 2025
No sources & methods.
NO WAR PLANS.
Foreign partners had already been notified that strikes were imminent.
BOTTOM LINE: President Trump is protecting America and our interests.
Chief Pentagon Spokesman Sean Parnell said in a statement:
It’s no surprise hoax-peddlers at the Atlantic have already abandoned their “war plans” claim. These additional Signal chat messages confirm there were no classified materials or war plans shared. The Secretary was merely updating the group on a plan that was underway & had already been briefed through official channels. The American people see through the Atlantic’s pathetic attempts to distract from President Trump’s national security agenda.
STATEMENT:
— Sean Parnell (@SeanParnellUSA) March 26, 2025
It’s no surprise hoax-peddlers at the Atlantic have already abandoned their “war plans” claim.
These additional Signal chat messages confirm there were no classified materials or war plans shared. The Secretary was merely updating the group on a plan that was… pic.twitter.com/FDGgUwbLD5
The Department of Defense’s rapid response X account mocked the magazine for now saying “attack plans” instead of “war plans.”
The account posted, “They backpedaled the whole ‘war plans’ thing really really fast….”
They backpedaled the whole “war plans” thing really really fast…. pic.twitter.com/LFroFp2fHI
— DOD Rapid Response (@DODResponse) March 26, 2025
The Atlantic has conceded: these were NOT “war plans.”
— Karoline Leavitt (@PressSec) March 26, 2025
This entire story was another hoax written by a Trump-hater who is well-known for his sensationalist spin. pic.twitter.com/atGrDd2ymr
The Atlantic posted the messages after Hegseth denied war plans were texted to the Signal group, and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard testified that no classified material was shared to the group.