Pardon the Interruption
During the 2016 presidential campaign, Donald Trump frequently attacked Hillary Clinton over her use of a private, unsecured email server while serving as Secretary of State. He claimed it risked exposing classified information and violated federal record-keeping laws. The controversy became a central theme, amplified by conservative media and politicians. Although the FBI ultimately declined to recommend charges, then-Director James Comey reignited the issue by announcing a reopening of the investigation just days before the election—an action many believe helped tilt the outcome in Trump’s favor.
The matter never truly went away. Calls from conservatives to prosecute Clinton continued, with some accusing her of violating the Espionage Act. The narrative resurfaced during the 2024 election, alongside renewed focus on Hunter Biden’s laptop, as part of a broader push to re-elect Trump.
Then, on March 24, 2025, a new breach stunned the public: Jeffrey Goldberg, editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, revealed he was mistakenly added to a Signal group chat in which senior Trump administration officials discussed military strikes on Yemen. Among those in the chat were Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, National Security Adviser Michael Waltz, and Vice President J.D. Vance, all openly sharing sensitive operational details.
The use of Signal, an unapproved platform for classified communication, raised serious legal and national security concerns—especially with a journalist unknowingly receiving real-time war plans. Experts have said this could constitute a violation of the Espionage Act and federal records laws. Yet rather than acknowledge the severity, the Trump administration and its allies quickly shifted into spin mode. Conservative media, politicians, and those involved downplayed the breach, praised the officials involved, and launched attacks on Goldberg and Democrats, sticking to a familiar strategy: deny, deflect, and blame others.
Given the climate and the administration's hostility toward the press, it's possible this won't end with discrediting Goldberg. Legal retaliation against The Atlantic seems conceivable. It sounds extreme, but if Trump has demonstrated anything, it's his willingness to reinterpret the law for his own advantage—often at democracy’s expense.
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