Most of the American headlines (and global) are reporting on the massive blunder from Trump’s team when a left-wing journalist was accidentally added to a group chat. The chat was leaked – as were some juicy details, which is leading many headlines in print and online. From plans to bomb Yemen’s Houthis to calling Europe ‘pathetic’, the leak has led to calls for a probe and questions over national security protocols.
Elsewhere, the USMNT has finished fourth in the Nations League – fourth out of just four teams. For those looking ahead to the World Cup, the bigger concern was the poor attendance at the USA matches over the Nations League, with more questions arising about how the USA (along with Canada and Mexico) will fare in hosting the 2026 tournament.
What happened?
The Trump administration is facing widespread backlash after the White House was forced to confirm that a journalist had been accidentally added to an unsecure group chat in which the US national security officials planned a military strike in Yemen.
The Atlantic magazine’s Jeffrey Goldberg reported that he had been added to a Signal message group which apparently included Vice-President JD Vance and Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth.
He said he had seen classified military plans for US strikes on Houthi rebels, including weapons packages, targets and timing, two hours before the bombs struck.
The report sparked a firestorm of criticism from opposition Democrats and concerns among several Republicans.
Washington stunned after Trump team chat group leaks
In an extraordinary breach of security, Trump’s top team accidentally added the editor-in-chief of The Atlantic to a group text in which officials debated highly sensitive plans for bombing Yemen. Since the texts were written in The Atlantic – there have been calls for a probe into how this happened and has raised serous questions about the lax handing of America’s secrets by Trump’s team.
- CNN says the revelation that President Donald Trump’s national security team discussed military strikes in Yemen on an unclassified group chat suggests a cavalier attitude toward America’s secrets and the safety of US forces on a deadly mission.
- FOX News says a senior White House official has revealed how the reporter may have been added to the Signal text chain in the national security leak reported by The Atlantic. He noted that Signal is allowed in multiple agencies.
- BBC News reports at one point during the communications over the strikes, the account labelled “JD Vance” seemed to disagree with Trump, Goldberg reported. In a statement to the BBC on Monday, Vance spokesman William Martin said the vice president “unequivocally supports this administration’s foreign policy”.
- The Guardian US says there is “outrage” over the leaks with one official calling it a ‘huge screw-up.’ The paper says on the Senate floor on Monday, the minority leader, Chuck Schumer, called it “one of the most stunning breaches of military intelligence I have read about in a very, very long time” and urged Republicans to seek a “full investigation into how this happened, the damage it created and how we can avoid it in the future”.
USMNT crashes out of Nations League, World Cup concerns, Poor attendance
The USA media is beginning to turn on coach Pochettino after the USA crashed out of the Nations League, finishing fourth out of four teams.
- The Athletic reports on the growing perception of complacency and entitlement in this USNMT as they record yet another embarrassing loss. “The disappointment around this team is not just because of the results. Yes, this U.S. team is falling short of expectations. But it’s also how this team is losing these games.”
- ESPN says the loss to Canada closes a miserable window for Pochettino’s USMNT after the Nations League. The sports site says Pochettino has a lot to ponder ahead of this summer’s Gold Cup – which they note will be the final competitive tournament before the World Cup.
- The New York Times has written: “The Argentine is charming, for certain, but his guile will mean nothing if he can’t accomplish his stated goals.”
- Daily Mail USA says the USMNT were humiliated in front of a near-empty SoFi Stadium 14 months before they host the World Cup.
- Fox Sports suggests its the worst it can get. “For die-hard U.S. supporters, the scariest part of this Nations League debacle is that this isn’t nearly as bad as things can get. As demoralizing as these losses to Panama and Canada this month, a similar failure at the 2026 World Cup at home would be nothing less than catastrophic.”
- World Soccer Talk reports on Christian Pulisic’s frustration with low attendances at the USA games.
- The Athletic looks at why US soccer has poor attendance saying the answer isn’t simple.
“Nothing happens to Pochettino. He will continue to make $6 mil a year and ultimately be judged entirely by what happens in the 2026 World Cup. But support for, relevance of, and belief in him and the #USMNT will continue to erode at a time when you’d like it trending upward.”
