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A high-ranking administration figure has inadvertently revealed details regarding plans to send an elite army unit to Portland, marking the latest in a string of intelligence leaks linked with the current administration.

Signal Messages Uncover Assignment Discussions

Anthony Salisbury, a senior aide to prominent administration strategist Stephen Miller, was seen utilizing the encrypted messaging app in a public place to discuss a plan to deploy the army’s elite parachute unit to Portland, the Democratic-led Oregon city which has been repeatedly criticized by former president as being “war-ravaged.”

Screenshots of Salisbury’s encrypted communications were acquired by a news outlet, which stated they were transmitted while the official was “in plain sight of others” in Minnesota.

“Between you and I, I think the defense secretary just wants the political protection from the president if anything goes wrong with the troops there,” a communication read.

Pentagon Chief Wants Executive Authorization

In the communications, transmitted recently, Salisbury corresponded with Patrick Weaver, a top consultant to the Pentagon chief, Pete Hegseth, and additional senior government figures.

Weaver wrote that Hegseth wanted Trump to explicitly tell him to send troops to Portland.

He added that Hegseth would rather to send in the state militia due to possible backlash over using the army.

“The division is like our premier rapid response unit for abroad. So it will generate a lot of headlines,” he continued. “Probably why he wants potus to order him to do it.”

Elite Unit Background

The elite parachute unit is a specialized military unit which specialises in parachute assaults and forcible entry operations. It was utilized in both world wars and the wars in Southeast Asia and Central Asia. Its commander was the last U.S. troop to pull out from Afghanistan in 2021.

Recent Assignment Claims

On Sunday, Hegseth said 200 personnel of the national guard would be deployed “right away.” On Wednesday, the president claimed the national guard was “now in place”; but, a regional media partner reported that the guard had not yet been dispatched.

Administration Statement

In a comment to the publication, a White House spokesperson confirmed Salisbury had been in Minnesota to be present at a memorial service.

“Despite dealing with sorrow from the loss of a family member, Tony continued his important work on behalf of the public,” the spokesperson said. “Nothing in these confidential conversations, that are shamefully being reported on by morally bankrupt reporters, is new or classified information.”

Prior Administration Disclosures

The communications represent the most recent awkward leak linked to the administration. In March, the editor-in-chief of a news magazine was accidentally added to a encrypted group that was being utilized by high-level government figures, including Hegseth and the second-in-command, to talk about confidential military strikes on Yemen.

A month it was revealed that Hegseth had employed a second Signal group chat to send detailed information about the strikes to his spouse, his brother and about a dozen other people.