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The shocking revelation that top national security officials in President Donald Trump’s administration texted military strike plans in a group chat that included a journalist has led one Illinois congressman to call for sweeping resignations.
“The careless mishandling of sensitive information has not only compromised national security but also put the lives of U.S. service members and our allies at tremendous risk,” said U.S. Rep. Jonathan Jackson (D-Illinois).
“The irony of this catastrophic failure is impossible to ignore.”
The breach came to light when Jeffrey Goldberg, editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, revealed he learned of planned U.S. strikes in Yemen nearly two hours before they happened. He was included in a Signal group chat where senior officials reportedly discussed operational details.
Goldberg wrote that the messages contained “precise information about weapons packages, targets, and timing.”
While Signal is more secure than conventional messaging apps, its communications aren’t classified and remain vulnerable to hacking.
In response to the incident, Trump denied knowledge of the leak and dismissed the magazine’s reporting. The White House Press Secretary later wrote on X that “no classified material was sent to the thread” and that no “war plans” were discussed.
The National Security Council is investigating how Goldberg was added to the chat.
On Tuesday, Trump supported National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, who took responsibility for the leak.
Still, the disclosure has drawn criticism from lawmakers across the political spectrum—including from Jackson in Illinois.
“I urge Secretary Hegseth and others responsible for this gross dereliction of duty to step down immediately,” Jackson said. “If they refuse to do so, Congress must act swiftly to hold them accountable and restore trust in our national security apparatus. Our democracy, our military, and our people deserve nothing less.”
Statement from Congressman Jonathan L. Jackson on Leaked War Plans and Call for Resignations
I am calling for the immediate resignation of Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and other top cabinet officials in the wake of the shocking and dangerous leak of classified U.S. war plans detailing potential strikes against Yemen. The careless mishandling of sensitive information has not only compromised national security but also put the lives of U.S. service members and our allies at tremendous risk.
The irony of this catastrophic failure is impossible to ignore.
This is the same administration that launched relentless attacks on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs—dismantling them under the false pretense that diversity initiatives weaken national security and undermine merit. Yet, under their so-called “merit-based” leadership, we now face a situation where top officials couldn’t safeguard classified information or uphold the basic responsibility of securing sensitive national security communications.
This administration prioritized ideological attacks over competence and accountability. They focused on banning DEI programs and even took aim at cultural icons like Jackie Robinson and the Enola Gay exhibit, stripping away any acknowledgment of the complex and diverse history that shapes our nation. Yet, while they were busy erasing history, they failed to prevent a security breach of historic proportions—one that could plunge the U.S. into another devastating conflict.
To make matters worse, this failure comes after the reckless deployment of unvetted AI systems to identify budget cuts across the federal government. Instead of thoughtful, human-centered decision-making, the administration chose to rely on artificial intelligence models that lacked the capacity for nuance and context—jeopardizing national security while demoralizing federal workers who have dedicated their careers to public service.
Our troops—many of whom come from diverse backgrounds—are being asked to defend a country where their personal heritage has been attacked by the very administration sending them into harm’s way. Secretary Hegseth’s continued presence at the helm of the Department of Defense is demoralizing to those who serve, and it undermines the trust that should exist between leadership and those on the front lines.
Further, I am demanding a full investigation into whether Secretary Hegseth was intoxicated during any of the communications related to this breach. It is imperative that we determine whether impaired judgment led him to fail to recognize that the means of communication being used to discuss sensitive war plans was not secure. If intoxication played any role in this national security failure, it only underscores the urgency of his immediate resignation.
The American people deserve competent, sober, and focused leadership—especially when the stakes are this high. The mishandling of war plans cannot be excused or swept under the rug. The security of our nation, the trust of our allies, and the safety of our troops are too important to be compromised by incompetence and recklessness.
I urge Secretary Hegseth and others responsible for this gross dereliction of duty to step down immediately. If they refuse to do so, Congress must act swiftly to hold them accountable and restore trust in our national security apparatus.
Our democracy, our military, and our people deserve nothing less.
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