Vice President Vance faced backlash for a dismissive comment in a leaked Signal chat about the March Yemen strike, highlighting lax security in Trump-era defense communications.

Vice President JD Vance drew criticism for posting in a leaked Signal chat about the March Yemen strike, known as Operation Rough Rider, days after the conversation was exposed by The Atlantic. The chat, originally created by National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, was accidentally shared with editor Jeffrey Goldberg, leading to a security breach. Vance’s message, “This chat's kind of dead. Anything going on?”, was seen as dismissive of the serious national security implications. A Defense Department inspector general report found no classified information was leaked but criticized lax security protocols and the use of unauthorized messaging apps for sensitive discussions. The incident intensified scrutiny over communication practices within the Trump administration’s defense leadership.