Shortly after senior officials from the Trump administration engaged in discussions about and celebrated the bombing of Yemen in an encrypted group chat that unknowingly included the editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, a select group of attendees enjoyed a lavish, clandestine dinner with the president. Guests were required to contribute $1 million each to secure a place at the table.
The event took place on Saturday, March 15. President Donald Trump hosted a “candlelight” dinner at his Mar-a-Lago estate, an event that did not appear on his public schedule. Outside, a fleet of luxurious vehicles, including a Rolls Royce parked alongside a Bugatti and a Lamborghini, showcased opulence. Guests mingled, capturing images of one another and the impressive cars. Earlier that day, the U.S. had conducted airstrikes in Yemen, aiming at Houthi leadership, resulting in the deaths of at least 53 individuals, including children.
Traveling aboard Air Force One with Elon Musk and Musk’s four-year-old son, X, Trump arrived at the event, as documented in photos and videos accessed by WIRED. Over the weekend, Musk maintained close communication with Trump and at least one member of the president’s team who was participating in a Signal group chat where sensitive operational details were shared. Experts suggest this communication may have contravened government regulations surrounding information sharing.
Attendees of the candlelight dinner included national security advisor Michael Waltz and the White House deputy chief of staff for policy, Stephen Miller, as per a source familiar with the proceedings. Secretary of State Marco Rubio was also observed at Mar-a-Lago that weekend, corroborated by a photograph from the following day confirmed by a source acquainted with the events.
The revelation concerning the Signal group misadventure came about because, in the days preceding the airstrikes, a user named Michael Waltz inadvertently added Jeffrey Goldberg, editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, to a chat entitled “Houthi PC small group.” (It is likely he meant to invite U.S. trade representative Jamieson Greer, who shares the same initials.) In a revealing report, The Atlantic unveiled discussions surrounding plans to strike Yemen. Waltz, Rubio, and Miller appeared to be present in the Signal group and, according to message exchanges documented by Goldberg, were actively involved in the chat leading up to the bombings. Some participants were identified only by their initials.
The day prior to the banquet, officials deliberated on whether to move forward with the airstrike, citing potential economic repercussions among other concerns. The Atlantic reported that Vice President JD Vance, who also seemed to be part of the Signal chat, expressed his belief that the airstrikes were a “mistake.”
According to The Atlantic’s coverage, Miller—who WIRED disclosed is referred to within Trump’s circle as “PM,” for prime minister—effectively dismissed Vance’s concerns. “As I heard it, the president was clear: green light,” an entry attributed to Miller wrote in the chat, as per The Atlantic. On Saturday, at 1:48 PM, the Waltz account, followed by others, sent messages to the group. “Amazing job,” remarked Waltz. “A good start,” noted an account with CIA Director John Ratcliffe’s name. A member identified as “MAR,” presumed to be “Marco Antonio Rubio,” commented, “Good Job Pete and your team!!” in reference to Pete Hegseth, the Secretary of Defense. Waltz then replied, “The team in MAL did a great job too,” alluding to the personnel stationed at Mar-a-Lago, which included Miller, Waltz, and Rubio. Trump’s team has long utilized “MAL” as shorthand for Mar-a-Lago.
