Screenshots were published in the Atlantic and not denied. Read the reporting, read up on relevant laws, and judge yourself.
Not a fan of using Signal, but we have to accurate about what happened
Hegseth was confirmed Jan 24. https://apnews.com/article/pete-hegseth-defense-secretary-tr...
The attack on Yemen and the group chat was in March. https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2025/03/signal-...
Its contents were undoubtedly classified.
Everyone here is confusing classified and op sec which can overlap but also cannot. No one here can point me to say what he reportedly did was release classified info. We also don’t know if the President who has the ultimate classification authority will allow it either.
Page 36 indicates "General information or assessments regarding the military plans, intentions, capabilities, or activities of the US, its allies, coalition partners or foreign adversaries" would be classified CONFIDENTIAL, "Specific information" as SECRET, and "Information providing indication or advance warning that the US or its allies are preparing an attack" as TOP SECRET.
These texts included the location (Yemen), the equipment (F-18s, Tomahawks, MQ-9s), and down-to-the-minute timing, in advance. That would very clearly fall under TS for the DNI, and that's pretty solid evidence it'd be TS for the DOD.
> Unless you can point me at a security classification guide… I can’t evaluate something objectively without a security classification guide.
Yeah, I see someone else clued you in to their existence upthread. Here's an example of one:
https://www.nsa.gov/portals/75/documents/news-features/decla...
It's not a "laundry list of what's classified". It's how you determine what needs to be classified. The DOD's classification guides will absolutely deem information of this nature - attack timing, specific aircraft, intelligence details indicating tracking and confirmation of specific targets, etc. - to be classified.
(They are also, themselves, classified information. For you to get access to the specific one here, it'd have to be voluntarily declassified... by the folks currently trying to cover their asses. Example here: https://www.dni.gov/files/documents/FOIA/DF-2015-00044%20(Do... - note the SECRET//NOFORN original classification of it, and "The public release of the Guide or any portion of the Guide is prohibited." on page 7.)
> These are all hit pieces.
How did you evaluate that objectively without a guide?
In what world would "1345: 'Trigger Based' F-18 1st Strike Window Starts (Target Terrorist is @ his Known Location so SHOULD BE ON TIME — also, Strike Drones Launch (MQ-9s)" not be a piece of classified information? If revealed, every likely target in Yemen would be potentially forewarned.
https://apnews.com/article/hegseth-leaks-signal-trump-classi...
"NBC News first reported that the launch times and bomb drop times of U.S. warplanes about to strike Houthi targets in Yemen — details multiple officials have said are highly classified — came from the secure channel."
https://www.militarytimes.com/news/pentagon-congress/2025/03...
"'This information was clearly taken from the real time order of battle sequence of an ongoing operation. It is highly classified and protected,' said Mick Mulroy, a former Marine who was the Pentagon’s top official for Middle East policy during the first Trump administration."
Again, it’s all opinions until someone can show me it’s classified and not just someone’s uninformed opinion.
'secret' means disclosure will 'damage the national security.
'top secret means disclosure will 'cause exceptionally grave damage to the national security'.
political discussions about dealing with world events is probably 'top secret', especially during the deliberation stage. operational information like 'TOT is 1pm local, 4 F18's with LGB's are inbound' is probably considered Secret until the crews return; in which case it is probably considered lower in criticality.