Trump Defends National Security Advisor After Signal Chat Leak
President Donald Trump has defended National Security Advisor Mike Waltz after a staffer inadvertently added a journalist to a sensitive Signal group chat discussing military strikes.
In a recent incident that has sparked controversy, President Donald Trump revealed that a staffer from National Security Advisor Mike Waltz’s office mistakenly included Jeffrey Goldberg, the editor-in-chief of the Atlantic, in a Signal group chat. The chat, titled “Houthi PC Small Group,” involved high-ranking officials discussing an upcoming military strike on Houthi rebels in Yemen.
Trump, in a phone interview with NBC, clarified that the inclusion of Goldberg in the chat was a mistake made by one of Waltz’s staffers. Despite the security breach, Trump emphasized that Goldberg’s presence had “no impact at all” on the execution of the strike. The president stood firmly behind Waltz, stating, “Michael Waltz has learned a lesson, and he’s a good man,” and assured that Waltz would not be fired over the incident.
The Signal app, known for its encrypted messaging capabilities, was used to discuss the timing and targeting of the strike against the Iran-backed Houthi group. According to Goldberg’s account published in the Atlantic, the first explosions in Yemen occurred as predicted in the chat, confirming the accuracy of the discussed plans.
The incident has drawn criticism from Democrats, some of whom are calling for the resignation of both Waltz and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, and for them to testify before Congress. However, the White House has downplayed the significance of the leak. White House Communications Director Steven Cheung described the Atlantic’s story as an attempt by anti-Trump forces to manufacture outrage, while Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated that no classified material or war plans were discussed in the chat.
The White House Counsel’s Office has been reviewing communication protocols to prevent future incidents, and the National Security Council is investigating how Goldberg’s number was added to the thread. Despite the mishap, the administration asserts that the Houthi strikes were successful under President Trump’s leadership.
As the situation unfolds, the focus remains on the effectiveness of the military operation and the measures being taken to secure communication channels within the White House.