David E. Sanger

Julian, do you concur with that? Absolutely. I mean, there are ways to talk around classified information. You can be generalized. You can take out specifics. But that's not what happens with the details of the strike. Like, when you say, this kind of plane is taking off at this hour... That is highly classified for a reason. The reason being is if it fell in enemy hands, it could be actionable.

So that's why that kind of information, troop movement information prior to it being executed is always among the most classified information that the U.S. possesses.

So that's why that kind of information, troop movement information prior to it being executed is always among the most classified information that the U.S. possesses.

But they have the launch times, and they know in general where the planes and drones are launching from. And that's all they would need to know to position their air defenses to be ready. Now, there's no evidence that the Houthis can penetrate phones. They don't have that technology as far as we know. But we know the Chinese have broadly hacked phones. American mobile networks.

But they have the launch times, and they know in general where the planes and drones are launching from. And that's all they would need to know to position their air defenses to be ready. Now, there's no evidence that the Houthis can penetrate phones. They don't have that technology as far as we know. But we know the Chinese have broadly hacked phones. American mobile networks.

That's one reason everybody moved to signal. We do know if a nation state hacks your phone, your signal would not be as secure if your phone had not been hacked.

That's one reason everybody moved to signal. We do know if a nation state hacks your phone, your signal would not be as secure if your phone had not been hacked.

They got J.D. Vance's phone, right? They were on it. They were listening to J.D. Vance's conversations. And the other data point is the Russians have provided intelligence to the Houthis before. It's not. a theoretical problem. Now, it hasn't been a massive amount, but it's been enough that the Biden administration was worried about this.

They got J.D. Vance's phone, right? They were on it. They were listening to J.D. Vance's conversations. And the other data point is the Russians have provided intelligence to the Houthis before. It's not. a theoretical problem. Now, it hasn't been a massive amount, but it's been enough that the Biden administration was worried about this.

It is a pathway where the Russians, in order to tweak the United States, have given Houthis information that they can act on.

It is a pathway where the Russians, in order to tweak the United States, have given Houthis information that they can act on.

Correct. And the Houthis aren't just a ragtag bunch of terrorists out there. They have acquired sophisticated air defense systems. They have shot at American ships with missiles. They have taken down a Reaper drone, which is a heavily armed attack drone. You know, Hegseth tells... exactly when the Reaper drones are going to take off.

Correct. And the Houthis aren't just a ragtag bunch of terrorists out there. They have acquired sophisticated air defense systems. They have shot at American ships with missiles. They have taken down a Reaper drone, which is a heavily armed attack drone. You know, Hegseth tells... exactly when the Reaper drones are going to take off.

If you had that, you would know when to put your people in position, when to arm your air defense systems to take down that drone. Now, the loss of a drone... isn't that bad, but if they knew when F-18 was going to come at them, they could be ready for that too. And that would have far greater consequences if an American pilot was shot down over Yemen.

If you had that, you would know when to put your people in position, when to arm your air defense systems to take down that drone. Now, the loss of a drone... isn't that bad, but if they knew when F-18 was going to come at them, they could be ready for that too. And that would have far greater consequences if an American pilot was shot down over Yemen.

Well, there's a small possibility here. I mean, Roger Wicker, the senator from Mississippi who leads the Armed Services Committee, he's been very critical repeatedly of Pete Hegseth. So he's been one of the few Republicans who has been unafraid to speak publicly. And he's raised the possibility that the Senate Armed Services Committee will look into this.

Well, there's a small possibility here. I mean, Roger Wicker, the senator from Mississippi who leads the Armed Services Committee, he's been very critical repeatedly of Pete Hegseth. So he's been one of the few Republicans who has been unafraid to speak publicly. And he's raised the possibility that the Senate Armed Services Committee will look into this.

Now, will this be an investigation with real teeth? Will they back down when the White House pressures them to stop? Maybe. So there's no guarantees, but there's at least a possibility.

Now, will this be an investigation with real teeth? Will they back down when the White House pressures them to stop? Maybe. So there's no guarantees, but there's at least a possibility.

Julian, what did you think of that? I was struck this week that it was the first time in the beginning of this second Trump term that he didn't seem in control of the news cycle. And in fact, their initial taunts toward The Atlantic just got The Atlantic to release even more, which kept the cycle going. And we had two congressional hearings that were dominated by it.