Trump Administration accidentally adds Journalist to private group chat (they were discussing war plans) UPD 3/26: FULL TEXTS RELEASED

[Vandelay]

Suffice to say, we won't be getting the invite to any global group chats for awhile.

 

[MoshpitMazi]

The Atlantic always come thru fr

 

[MustafaSTL]

It’s really wild that Hegseth sat there and blatantly lied to the press saying he did not do this. shyt was confirmed already to be accurate. Unless he was trying to play loose with words talking about “war plans,” it’s wild to just sit there and lie without blinking. He was better off not taking any questions, but then again, would a DUI hire really think straight?

 

[Spence]

I would’ve held out for something better than this to blow up the spot, but let dude cook either way for airing these dumbasses out

 

[MustafaSTL]

I just wanna see don turn orangish red when he found out the incompetent “merit based” hires he made did some colossal fukk up like this.

 

[Damba]

This whole administration is an embarrassment and a major setback we won’t recover from for years.

 

[☑︎#VoteDemocrat]

 

[MoshpitMazi]

If trump dont dump hegseth his credibility is 100% gone, this turning into a big deal and there needs to be accountability

 

[☑︎#VoteDemocrat]

OSSOFF just FRIED these dudes

 

[☑︎#VoteDemocrat]

If trump dont dump hegseth his credibility is 100% gone, this turning into a big deal and there needs to be accountability

these guys are gonna fukk up again…trump has to fire at least half of these guys

 

[The ADD]

If trump dont dump hegseth his credibility is 100% gone, this turning into a big deal and there needs to be accountability

He won’t, Hegseth was the most controversial pick out of that lot. He won’t admit a mistake in that hiring.

 

[Formerly Black Trash]

Journalist is fukking retarded for even mentioning this

He should have kept leaking this shyt and reporting on how dumb this is

When FOX News is giving you credit and calling you a good journalist for doing something, you're probably a shytty journalist

He'd get thrown in jail

Whether it's legal or not

 

[get these nets]

It’s really wild that Hegseth sat there and blatantly lied to the press saying he did not do this. shyt was confirmed already to be accurate. Unless he was trying to play loose with words talking about “war plans,” it’s wild to just sit there and lie without blinking. He was better off not taking any questions, but then again, would a DUI hire really think straight?

Being proven wrong and still lying/juelzing?

Hegseth definitely posts here. Fits right in

 

[Vandelay]

What's funny, if you can find funny in this is, his former Fox coworkers probably hate that he got selected for this. And they probably silently hate on dude, obviously with due cause. But everyone at Fox is probably laughing at dude now.

Like if you gonna get a host to do it, they hired the fukking weekend guy... Not Hannity, not Ingrahm, not even fukking Jesse Waters. None are qualified, but clearly Trump wanted talkers who sound good on camera, and he got the fukking weekend guy. There's a reason he is on fukking weekends.

 

[Seoul Gleou]

He'd get thrown in jail

Whether it's legal or not

He'll be alright. We also can't say shyt about Russia or China if we're jailing journalists for exposing corruption and incompetence

In the United States, journalists are generally protected by the **First Amendment**, which guarantees freedom of the press. However, there have been cases where journalists faced legal challenges, including imprisonment, particularly when their work involves classified information or national security concerns. Here are some notable cases:

### **1. Julian Assange (WikiLeaks)**
- **Charges:** Espionage Act violations (18 counts, including obtaining and publishing classified documents).
- **Status:** Currently fighting extradition from the UK to the U.S. If convicted, he could face up to 175 years in prison.
- **Controversy:** Critics argue his prosecution threatens press freedom, as WikiLeaks published leaked documents exposing U.S. military and diplomatic activities.

### **2. Reality Winner**
- **Charges:** Under the Espionage Act for leaking a classified NSA report on Russian election interference to *The Intercept*.
- **Sentence:** 5 years in prison (longest sentence for a leak case at the time).
- **Release:** Freed in 2021 for good behavior.

### **3. James Risen (New York Times)**
- **Case:** Subpoenaed to reveal sources for reporting on a failed CIA operation in Iran. He resisted and faced potential jail time.
- **Outcome:** Avoided imprisonment after the DOG backed down, but his case raised concerns about press freedom.

### **4. Judith Miller (New York Times)**
- **Case:** Jailed for 85 days in 2005 for refusing to reveal her source in the Valerie Plame CIA leak case.
- **Outcome:** Released after her source (Scooter Libby) gave consent.

### **5. Barrett Brown (Freelance Journalist)**
- **Case:** Prosecuted for sharing a link to hacked Stratfor emails (published by WikiLeaks).
- **Sentence:** 63 months (later reduced; served about 4 years).

### **Key Legal Threats to Journalists in the U.S.**
- **Espionage Act (1917):** Used to prosecute leakers (and sometimes journalists).
- **No Federal Shield Law:** Unlike some states, the U.S. lacks a strong federal law protecting journalists from being forced to reveal sources.
- **Government Secrecy:** National security claims often override press freedom concerns.

### **International Press Freedom Rankings**
- **Reporters Without Borders (2023):** U.S. ranked **45th** in press freedom, citing legal threats and surveillance risks.

### **Conclusion**
While outright jailing of journalists is rare in the U.S., legal pressures—especially in national security cases—pose significant risks. Cases like Assange’s could set a precedent for prosecuting journalists who publish classified information.