British armed forces remain secure despite a significant US intelligence breach, UK Armed Forces Minister Luke Pollard assured MPs. Speaking before the Commons Defence Committee, Pollard expressed “high confidence” in the integrity of British operational security following revelations that a US journalist was inadvertently included in a classified group chat discussing military operations in Yemen.
The breach occurred when the editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, Jeffrey Goldberg, was mistakenly added to a Signal group chat where senior US officials, including Vice-President JD Vance and US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, discussed an imminent strike against the Houthi militant group. Goldberg later confirmed that he had access to sensitive details, including target locations and weapons packages, two hours before the attack took place on March 15.
While the UK did not participate in the strike, British forces provided routine air-to-air refueling support to US operations. Pollard clarified that UK personnel were not at risk due to the mishandling of classified information. “All UK service personnel are covered by our normal approach to operational security,” he stated, emphasizing that he would not disclose specific security protocols.
The incident has raised concerns about the reliability of intelligence-sharing between the US and its allies. However, Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner defended the longstanding UK-US intelligence partnership, stating, “We’ve been sharing intelligence and information for many decades and continue to do that through our secure networks.”
Political reactions to the breach have been mixed. Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey criticized the Trump administration’s handling of sensitive information, warning that “Trump’s White House can’t be trusted to take even the most basic steps to keep its own intelligence safe.” He urged the UK government to conduct a “comprehensive review” of its intelligence-sharing arrangements with the US to prevent future security risks.
In response to the controversy, Pollard reaffirmed the UK’s strict security policies. “The Ministry of Defence has very clear policies in relation to what information can be shared and the format in which it can be shared,” he said. He also suggested that similar breaches in the UK would result in disciplinary proceedings, stating, “There would be a clear consequence and disciplinary process for anyone not following those procedures.”
The US government has sought to downplay the incident, with President Donald Trump denying any knowledge of the breach. A White House spokesperson maintained that the president has “utmost confidence” in his national security team despite concerns about the use of unapproved encrypted messaging apps for classified discussions.
The security lapse has intensified scrutiny over how classified information is handled within the US administration. With rising global tensions, UK officials remain vigilant in safeguarding military intelligence, emphasizing the need for robust security measures in future collaborative operations.
