On Tuesday, President Donald Trump expressed his continued support for his national security adviser, Michael Waltz, following a significant breach of protocol involving a sensitive military operation discussion. Waltz inadvertently invited Jeffrey Goldberg, editor in chief of The Atlantic, to a private chat among senior administration officials on the secure messaging app Signal. This chat pertained to an impending U.S. military operation, raising serious concerns within Washington.
In a phone interview with NBC News, Trump remarked, “Michael Waltz has learned a lesson, and he’s a good man.” He conveyed his confidence in his national security team despite growing calls from various quarters for accountability after the incident. During a meeting with U.S. ambassadors, Trump reiterated his belief that Waltz had been unjustly criticized, attributing the issue to a technological error rather than a judgment lapse. “I don’t think he should apologize. I think he’s doing his best,” Trump stated, highlighting the imperfections of the technology involved. “And, probably he won’t be using it again. At least not in the very near future.”
Goldberg described his accidental inclusion in the chat as so reckless that he initially suspected it was a hoax. The White House confirmed the legitimacy of the chat, but Trump and his allies attempted to downplay the situation's seriousness. Trump asserted that Goldberg's presence had “no impact at all” on the military operation against Yemen’s Houthi rebels, who pose threats to maritime trade and Israel.
Despite the administration's attempts to minimize the fallout, the incident has garnered significant media attention, with calls for investigations into the matter. Trump's remarks indicated that Waltz and other officials involved, such as Vice President JD Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and CIA Director John Ratcliffe, might avoid severe repercussions for the time being.
White House communications director Steven Cheung accused critics of the incident of manufacturing “faux outrage” akin to previous attacks on Trump during his presidency. He stated, “Don’t let enemies of America get away with these lies,” reflecting a strategy to deflect blame and discredit the media.
During the ambassador meeting, Trump labeled Goldberg as “a total sleazebag” and criticized The Atlantic as a “failed magazine.” Waltz echoed these sentiments, suggesting that Goldberg aimed to create sensationalist narratives rather than focus on the essential matters at hand.
Administration officials maintained that the military operation against the Houthis proceeded as planned. Hegseth publicly criticized Goldberg, asserting that “nobody was texting war plans.” However, during a Senate hearing, Gabbard and Ratcliffe stated that no classified information was exchanged in the chat, a claim met with skepticism from Democratic senators who referenced the detailed war plans discussed.
The group chat, which included significant figures from the administration, shared operational details that are typically classified as top secret. Such information is expected to be communicated strictly in secure settings to prevent potential leaks.
During the Senate hearing, Senator Michael Bennet (D-Colorado) criticized reports that suggested Steve Witkoff participated in the chat from Russia. Democrats on the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence condemned the chat as indicative of a careless attitude towards government secrets. Senator Mark R. Warner (Virginia), the committee’s ranking Democrat, stated, “This is one more example of the kind of sloppy, careless, incompetent behavior, particularly toward classified information” displayed by the Trump administration. Warner called for Waltz and Hegseth to resign, emphasizing that such behavior would result in termination for military or intelligence personnel.
Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Roger Wicker (R-Mississippi) stated that his committee would investigate the incident, acknowledging that mistakes had clearly been made. Meanwhile, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt asserted, “No ‘war plans’ were discussed” and emphasized that no classified material had been transmitted in the chat.
The White House is currently investigating how Goldberg's number was mistakenly added to the group chat. Prominent Republicans have offered nuanced responses, with some viewing the incident as a failure of protocol but emphasizing the administration's overall effectiveness in executing military operations. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) stated, “They’re going to track that down and make sure it doesn’t happen again,” indicating a commitment to ensuring that such lapses are avoided in the future.
