Jeffrey Goldberg, editor of The Atlantic magazine, has become the centre of a global controversy following his publication of sensitive exchanges on the Signal messaging app related to imminent US military strikes against the Iran-backed Huthi rebels in Yemen. The revelations, which emerged in the lead-up to these operations, ignited a fierce backlash from then-President Donald Trump and members of his cabinet.

Trump himself referenced the controversy, dubbed "Signalgate," when announcing an interview scheduled for Thursday with Goldberg and two colleagues from The Atlantic. In a social media post, Trump described Goldberg as "the person responsible for many fictional stories about me" and stated, "I am doing this interview out of curiosity, and as a competition with myself, just to see if it's possible for The Atlantic to be 'truthful.'"

The inclusion of Goldberg in the confidential military communications shocked the national security community and sparked widespread debate. It triggered calls for the resignation of then-Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, a former Fox News host and military veteran who lacked previous national security experience. Hegseth reportedly disclosed critical details in the chat, including the timing of strikes, and the types of aircraft, missiles, and drones to be used—all prior to the operations taking place.

Democratic lawmakers expressed serious concerns that this breach of confidential information could have endangered the lives of US service members, raising urgent questions about intelligence security and operational risks. Despite these criticisms, Trump defended Hegseth and other officials involved in the Signal chat, dismissing the uproar as a "witch hunt" and lauding his Pentagon chief's performance as "great."

Goldberg's contentious relationship with the president extends back to 2020, when The Atlantic published an article reporting that senior US military officers had heard Trump refer to soldiers killed in World War I as "suckers" and "losers." Trump vehemently denied making such remarks, though his then-chief of staff, John Kelly, later confirmed the accuracy of Goldberg's reporting.

The forthcoming interview between Trump and The Atlantic editors is anticipated to draw further attention to this high-profile dispute involving national security, journalistic access, and presidential accountability.

Source: Noah Wire Services