The Evening: An extraordinary security breach

Also, paper bags might not be as green as you think.

View in browser|nytimes.com March 24, 2025 By Matthew Cullen Good evening. Here's the latest at the end of Monday. An extraordinary security breach Trump's tariff threats Plus, our review of "Othello" Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth at the White House last week. Haiyun Jiang for The New York Times Trump officials disclosed secret war plans in a group chat The White House confirmed today that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had revealed secret war plans in an encrypted chat group that included a journalist, two hours before U.S. troops launched attacks against the Houthi militia in Yemen. It was an extraordinary breach of American national-security intelligence that shocked several Defense Department officials. The chat included some of the most influential figures in President Trump's inner circle, among them Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Michael Waltz, the national security adviser. Walz mistakenly added Jeffrey Goldberg, the editor in chief of The Atlantic, to the group. Goldberg, who was included in the highly sensitive conversation for the two days leading up to the strikes, published an article today about the exchange. Hegseth described the war plans on the commercial messaging app Signal, rather than the secure government channels that would normally be used for classified and highly sensitive war planning. That in itself could be a violation of the Espionage Act, Pentagon officials said. In addition, the officials said that revealing operational war plans before planned strikes could also put American troops directly into harm's way. Trump denied knowing anything about the chat, but the incident provided a stark reminder of an earlier Washington controversy: Both the president and many of his allies suggested Hillary Clinton should have been imprisoned for using a private email server while she was secretary of state. An oil refining plant in Venezuela, pictured last year. Federico Parra/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images Trump threatened to use tariffs to punish Venezuela Trump said today that he would impose a 25 percent tariff on goods imported to the U.S. from any country that purchased oil from Venezuela. The president described the move as punishment, claiming that Venezuela had "purposefully and deceitfully" sent criminals into America. The unconventional use of tariffs could further disrupt the global oil trade as buyers of Venezuelan oil seek alternatives. The U.S. and China have been the top recent buyers, and India and Spain buy a small amount. But some trade and sanctions experts questioned how effectively the U.S. could enforce the tariffs. In related news, makers of a vast array of American products sent letters to the White House in hopes of shaping the far-reaching tariffs that Trump has promised to impose on April 2. In other politics news: The Trump administration asked the Supreme Court to block a ruling ordering it to rehire thousands of fired federal workers. A federal judge maintained his block on deportations of Venezuelans under a powerful wartime statute. A Columbia student who took part in campus protests sued the Trump administration after immigration officials tried to deport her. The law that the Trump administration invoked in seeking to deport Mahmoud Khalil was once struck down — by one of Trump's sisters. Trump plans to send representatives to Greenland this week. The government there called the president "aggressive." Scientists fear that the lifesaving medical research of the National Institutes of Health could be severely weakened by Trump's policies. Trump's first term was filled with falsehoods. Now, his administration has effectively institutionalized disinformation. In a shift, more Republicans want government investment in children. Democrats are wondering: Will Nancy Pelosi retire? And will Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez run for president? Ukrainian houses damaged in Russian strikes last week. Nicole Tung for The New York Times U.S. officials discussed cease-fire steps with Russians Russian officials met today with U.S. envoys in Saudi Arabia, after a similar meeting a day earlier between American and Ukrainian delegations. The talks were expected to focus on details of a partial cease-fire to halt attacks on energy facilities and ships in the Black Sea. Ukraine has said that it is ready for a full truce, while the Kremlin has made it clear that it will seek a wide range of concessions first. Here's what we know about the negotiations. As our Moscow bureau chief, Anton Troianovski, explained, Vladimir Putin appears determined to squeeze as many benefits as possible from Trump's desire for a Ukraine peace deal. Moscow believes that better ties with Washington are an economic and geopolitical boon that could be achieved even as Russian missiles pound Ukraine. Photo Illustration by Tony Cenicola/The New York Times Paper bags might not be as green as you think Brown paper bags have become a popular choice at the grocery checkout, as more cities and states have banned single-use plastic bags. They are supposed to be more environmentally friendly, but it's complicated. They tend to require more energy to make than plastic ones and they produce potent greenhouse gases as they break down. Reusable totes, too, require more resources to make. But the more you use any bag, the greener it will be. More top news Supreme Court: The justices seemed likely to uphold a Louisiana map with two majority-Black districts. Gaza: Israel's renewed drive into Gaza has pushed families to flee neighborhoods they had only recently returned to. Bird flu: In a world first, the H5N1 virus was found in a sheep. Health: The F.D.A. approved a lab-grown blood vessel, even though agency scientists had flagged questionable study results and potentially fatal ruptures. Turkey: Istanbul's mayor, the top rival to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, was ousted and jailed. Hours later, the main opposition party named him their candidate. Sudan: The army drove the R.S.F. out of central Khartoum, a major shift in the civil war. A Times reporter and photographer were the first Western journalists to visit in two years. Singapore: On the island, driving a Kia is like wearing a Rolex. Here's why. Television: Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit behind "Sesame Street," is confronting what executives have described as a "perfect storm" of problems. TIME TO UNWIND Angelina Jolie at Atelier Jolie in Manhattan, this month. Clement Pascal for The New York Times Angelina Jolie wants to pick up where Basquiat left off In a two-story Manhattan building once owned by Andy Warhol and inhabited by Jean-Michel Basquiat, the actress Angelina Jolie is trying to build a hub for artists and makers. She named it Atelier Jolie, and her dream is for the space to be once again a cultural locus and a clubhouse for the inspired. Jolie, who has been developing the space for a year, said the process had been more difficult than she expected. We talked to her about why she was doing it. At the Ethel Barrymore Theater in New York. Amir Hamja for The New York Times Broadway's 'Othello' is a hit. Is it any good? Weeks before its official opening date, a star-studded revival of the Shakespeare tragedy "Othello" was already the hottest ticket in New York. During one week of previews, the play, which stars Denzel Washington and Jake Gyllenhaal, earned more than any nonmusical has ever made in a single week on Broadway. Last night, after Joe Biden, Jennifer Lopez, Samuel L. Jackson and other celebrities showed up for the premiere, our critic, Jesse Green, published his review. He found a fascinating change from most other versions of the play: This time, Jesse writes, Gyllenhaal's Iago is "far more legible than his master," Washington's Othello — who, like the actor in his movies, leads with action. Jennifer Tilly at her home in the Bel Air neighborhood of Los Angeles. Sinna Nasseri for The New York Times Dinner table topics Jennifer Tilly: The surprise star of "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" talked about her hardscrabble past and fortunate present. Ultrathin is in: When it comes to fashion models, the body diversity revolution appears to be at an end. Jesters: For centuries, clowns have mostly been men. A new group of talent is changing that. Color and creativity: Could you live in an acid-green apartment? WHAT TO DO TONIGHT Emma Fishman for The New York Times Cook: This recipe for chicken and cheesy grits will keep you cozy. Read: The author Sara Gran recommended eight great noir thrillers. Watch: "First Cow" is one of the best free movies to stream right now. Plan: These five stunning German train trips offer an affordable vacation. Try: The Rubik's cube world-record holder shows how he does it. Rest: This 10-minute yoga routine can help you get better sleep. Compete: Take this week's Flashback history quiz. Play: Here are today's Spelling Bee, Wordle and Mini Crossword. Find all of our games here. ONE LAST THING Terry Graham; Top left: David Chow Is British food still a joke? It's hard to describe classic British dishes without reinforcing the stereotype that English food is bland, beige and soggy. Perhaps it was the Puritans' self-deprivation, or the rationing during World War II. But London has developed a world-class restaurant scene, with flavors from around the world. And traditional British fare is improving, too — thanks to an online fascination with British grimness and a new generation of chefs. Sure, British food might still be mostly brown. "But we love brown food," one chef said. Have a simple evening. Thanks for reading. I'll be back tomorrow. — Matthew Philip Pacheco was our photo editor today. We welcome your feedback. Write to us at evening@nytimes.com. Writer: Matthew Cullen Editors: Carole Landry, Whet Moser, Justin Porter, Jonathan Wolfe Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for The Evening from The New York Times. To stop receiving The Evening, unsubscribe. To opt out of other promotional emails from The Times, including those regarding The Athletic, manage your email settings. 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