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Sara Fischer: Top Trump officials’ Signal blunder becomes top news story of 2025
Top English-language articles by engagement across social media
The Atlantic story detailing how Trump aides inadvertently invited the magazine’s editor to a Signal chat where highly sensitive information about a military strike was shared has easily become the top news story of the year globally, according to new data.
- A spokesperson for The Atlantic said it was “one of the top subscription driving stories” for the magazine of all time.
Why it matters: Rarely do U.S. national security stories gain this much traction so quickly around the world.
- #SignalGate is more than just a revelatory report, it’s a viral sensation that’s driving meme mania online.
- #SignalGate was the top story in the world across all English-language articles, according to NewsWhip, which measures social media engagement across Facebook and X.
Zoom out: Most stories that go viral on social media tend to be feel-good tales about everyday people or fear mongering stories about accidents or crime.
- The Atlantic has managed to uniquely penetrate the social zeitgeist with just plain journalism, which is rare.
- In fact, three of the top 10 most viral stories tracked by NewsWhip this year were published by The Atlantic.
The big picture: #SignalGate cements The Atlantic’s success following a yearslong effort to turn around its business.
- After losing millions of dollars for several years, The Atlantic finally turned a profit last year.
- The magazine, one of the oldest in the country, has successfully built a digital subscription business, thanks in part to strong editorial gets and partnerships with third parties like Apple. Last March, the company said it had more than 1 million subscribers across digital and print.
- The company has hired a slew of big names over the past few months, including poaching Washington Post star reporters Ashley Parker and Michael Scherer in December.
What to watch: Some Trump allies are trying to downplay the story, but even conservatives aren’t buying it. (To be clear, a National Security Council spokesperson said, “The message thread that was reported appears to be authentic.”)
- Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth yesterday called the story’s author Jeffrey Goldberg a “deceitful and highly discredited so-called journalist who’s made a profession of peddling hoaxes” when asked about the piece.
- In response to Hegseth’s comments, Fox News’ chief political analyst wrote on X, “Oh for God’s sake, the administration has already confirmed the authenticity of the message.”
Sara Fischer’s expertise in media trends and industry analysis gives her a deep understanding of how digital shifts impact government, policy, and public discourse. Her ability to break down complex media and regulatory changes ensures her keynote is both insightful and essential for leaders navigating today’s information landscape. Fischer’s speaking engagements are managed exclusively by WWSG. To host her as your keynote speaker, contact us.
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