The recent revelation by The Atlantic’s editor, Jeffrey Goldberg, that he was inadvertently included in a Signal chat group discussing imminent US airstrikes on Yemen is nothing short of astonishing. This scandal exposes a troubling mix of incompetence, naiveté and callous disregard for both military realities and global alliances. The implications of this blunder will reverberate far beyond Washington, casting further doubt on the credibility, judgement and reliability of Trump’s administration.
Military Delusions
The Houthis have been bombed relentlessly for nearly a decade – by the Saudis, the Emiratis, the Israelis and by US and UK forces – yet they remain undeterred. The 2015 Saudi-led intervention, despite employing a full blockade and relentless airstrikes, failed to achieve its objectives. Ten years later, the results remain unchanged; the Houthis are stronger than ever, now actively disrupting global trade by targeting vessels in the Bab el Mandeb Strait.
Yet, despite this overwhelming evidence that airstrikes alone achieve nothing, Vice President JD Vance and his peers somehow convinced themselves that their latest round of bombings would miraculously restore freedom of navigation in the Red Sea. More absurdly, they expected Europe and Egypt to reward the US for the effort. This mindset reveals a complete failure to grasp the interconnected nature of global trade. The idea that Europe should directly compensate the US for ensuring open sea lanes ignores the fundamental reality that America itself benefits from a stable global economy. Even more disturbing is the implicit suggestion that the US military operates as a mercenary force, fighting not for national security, but for profit.
The “Freeloading Europeans” Fallacy
The Signal chat also makes clear that Trump’s inner circle genuinely believes the discredited narrative that Europe is somehow leeching off American security. This is a continuation of the Trump-era fallacy that NATO allies are failing to “pay their fair share,” despite the fact that most European NATO members now exceed the 2% of GDP defence spending guideline, with some even outpacing the US in both spending and military efficiency.
The message sent to European allies is devastating; Washington is no longer a reliable partner. If European leaders harboured any lingering hope that the US would uphold its commitments, this Signal debacle obliterates it. Trump’s second term is rapidly making NATO’s fragmentation a foregone conclusion, whether through a formal withdrawal or the slow erosion of trust. Meanwhile, in Moscow and Beijing, Putin and Jinping are undoubtedly celebrating. The fastest path to American decline has always been the strategic isolation of the US from its allies. Trump’s administration is handing them this victory on a silver platter.
Frat Boy Foreign Policy
Perhaps the most sickening aspect of this revelation is the tone of the Signal conversation itself. Fifty three people died in these airstrikes – some legitimate targets, others innocent bystanders. Yet, rather than treating the gravity of military action with the solemnity it deserves, senior US officials exchanged emojis – flexed biceps, clenched fists, American flags, and fire symbols – as if celebrating a football game. This isn’t just unprofessional, it’s grotesque.
Had General Jim Mattis still been Secretary of Defense, this kind of juvenile, reckless behaviour would never have been tolerated. Instead, under the woefully inadequate Pete Hegseth, US defence policy has devolved into an adolescent spectacle of chest-thumping and incompetence. The lack of strategic foresight, discipline, or even basic human decency among the highest echelons of power is staggering.
Conclusion: Requiem For an Era
When confronted about the Signal breach and the contents of the chat, National Security Council spokesman Brian Hughes astonishingly claimed it demonstrated “deep and thoughtful policy coordination“. If this is what passes for deep thought in Trump’s White House, then it explains the chaos already engulfing his second term.
The evidence is overwhelming; the Trump administration is an amateurish, reckless, and utterly unreliable steward of US power. It has already inflicted considerable economic damage on America, alienated allies, and displayed a comprehensive lack of understanding of military and geopolitical realities. The blundering threats toward Canada, Greenland, and Panama were bad enough, the dismantling of decades of soft power was worse. But this latest revelation – the frat boy mentality, the strategic delusions, and the sheer incompetence – cements the fact that America’s global leadership is crumbling … if not already crumbled.
This is not just another political blunder, and the ramifications are not just confined to the US. For, as we wrote in Requiem Colossus, “this is not just a requiem for an American colossus. It is a requiem for united, combined, hitherto unassailable Western power. And unless decisive action is taken, it is a requiem for our era of stability and prosperity.”