Trump Backs Waltz Amid Signal App Security Concerns
Former President Donald Trump has voiced his support for National Security Adviser Mike Waltz following scrutiny over a Signal app communication incident. Trump described Waltz as a “good man” who “learned a lesson,” as calls for Waltz’s resignation intensify after a breach involving sensitive discussions on the encrypted platform.
Controversy Erupts Over Signal Chat Involving Journalist
The controversy stems from Waltz initiating a Signal message thread to discuss plans concerning Houthi rebels in Yemen. The Atlantic magazine’s editor-in-chief, Jeffrey Goldberg, was inadvertently added to this chat group.
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According to Politico, citing a source described as “close to the White House,” there is widespread agreement within the administration regarding the misstep, with one official reportedly labeling Waltz’s actions as “f***ing idiot.”
However, Trump, in comments to NBC News, offered a contrasting view, stating, “Michael Waltz has learned a lesson, and he’s a good man.”
Addressing the inclusion of Goldberg in the Signal conversation, Trump explained, “It was one of Michael’s people on the phone. A staffer had his number on there.”
Details of the ‘Houthi PC Small Group’ Chat
In the Signal app group, titled ‘Houthi PC small group,’ Goldberg gained access to exchanges involving Waltz, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Vice President JD Vance, and other high-ranking administration officials.
Goldberg disclosed that operational details were discussed within the chat. He further claimed that Hegseth shared potentially damaging sensitive information that could compromise national security if accessed by unauthorized parties.
The story gained significant traction online after its publication, prompting criticism regarding the administration’s use of a messaging application for sensitive discussions instead of secure government communication channels designed for classified information.
Trump Downplays Security Breach Concerns
Trump dismissed the incident, asserting that Goldberg’s presence in the chat had “no impact at all” on the operations, which he described as “perfectly successful.”
He further minimized the significance of the public attention the story received, characterizing it as “the only glitch in two months, and it turned out not to be a serious one.”
Goldberg’s Perspective on the Inclusion
Goldberg expressed disapproval of Waltz’s decision to include him in the conversation, noting uncertainty regarding Waltz’s intended recipient.
Speaking to MSNBC, Goldberg stated, “I’m thinking to myself, I’m glad Mike Waltz didn’t invite a Houthi into the group or a Russian spy, or an adversary of the United States.”
Other officials involved in the Signal group included Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard. Additionally, a CIA representative, Trump adviser Stephen Miller, and White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles were listed as participants.
Official Condemns ‘Reckless’ Communication
An unnamed official described the move as “reckless.”
“It was reckless not to check who was on the thread. It was reckless to be having that conversation on Signal. You can’t have recklessness as the national security advisor,” the official emphasized to Politico.
White House Defends Waltz, Dismisses Anonymous Sources
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt criticized “anonymous sources” for questioning Waltz’s position within the administration.
“As I said yesterday, the President continues to have confidence in his national security team, including Mike Waltz. Stories claiming otherwise are driven by anonymous sources who clearly do not speak to the President, and written by reporters who are thirsty for a ‘scoop’,” Leavitt posted on X.
Trump initially claimed on Monday that he was unaware of The Atlantic’s report, stating, “I don’t know anything about it. I’m not a big fan of the Atlantic. It’s to me, it’s a magazine that’s going out of business.”
However, the White House has since reinforced its defense of Waltz.
Leavitt subsequently stated on X Tuesday, “No ‘war plans’ were discussed” and “No classified material was sent to the thread.”
She added that the White House counsel’s office has “provided guidance on a number of different platforms” for staff communication.
Authenticity of Signal Chat Confirmed
Goldberg recounted his initial suspicion that the invitation was a scam or impersonation, but he eventually concluded it was genuine.
The National Security Council verified the authenticity of the Signal app chat.
Brian Hughes, spokesman for the National Security Council, stated, “This appears to be an authentic message chain, and we are reviewing how an inadvertent number was added to the chain.”
Hughes further asserted, “The thread is a demonstration of the deep and thoughtful policy coordination between senior officials. The ongoing success of the Houthi operation demonstrates that there were no threats to troops or national security.”
Details of the Yemen Strike Discussions
Trump authorized strikes against Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen as a deterrent to Tehran. The Houthis had been targeting ships in the Red Sea linked to Israel, including vessels from the U.S. and UK.
Waltz initiated the Signal group, naming it ‘Houthi PC small group,’ to coordinate related strategies.
Goldberg admitted to initial concerns that the text chain might be a “disinformation operation.”
However, upon reviewing the messages, he found their content to be credible and corroborating with known details.
In an extensive article for The Atlantic, Goldberg detailed the events, noting that he intentionally withheld information from a lengthy text by Hegseth, fearing its potential exploitation by adversaries to harm American military and intelligence personnel.
Goldberg wrote, “What I will say, in order to illustrate the shocking recklessness of this Signal conversation, is that the Hegseth post contained operational details of forthcoming strikes on Yemen, including information about targets, weapons the U.S. would be deploying, and attack sequencing.”
Hegseth Criticizes Goldberg’s Journalism
Hegseth responded sharply to Goldberg, denouncing him as a “deceitful and highly discredited so-called journalist who has made a profession of peddling hoaxes, time and time again.”
He cited several Atlantic stories concerning Trump’s alleged Russia connections, the “very fine people” Charlottesville comments, and purported “suckers and losers” remarks about fallen soldiers as examples of Goldberg’s questionable reporting.
“This is a guy who peddles in garbage. This is what he does,” Hegseth asserted.
Hegseth praised American forces combating the Houthis in Yemen while criticizing the Biden administration’s handling of the situation.
When questioned about sharing details on Signal, Hegseth responded, “I’ve heard how it was characterized. Nobody was texting war plans and that’s all I have to say about that.”
Goldberg Refutes Hegseth’s Denial
Goldberg countered Hegseth’s denial in a CNN interview, stating that the chat included “attack plans,” target locations and identities, and the “sequence” of strikes against the Houthis, labeling Hegseth’s denial “a lie.”
“No, that’s a lie. He was texting war plans, he was texting attack plans. When targets were gonna be targeted, how they were gonna be targeted, who was at the targets, when the next sequence of attacks were happening,” Goldberg reiterated.
Goldberg voiced concern that the shared information could be exploited by U.S. adversaries to endanger personnel and assets.
He elaborated in The Atlantic, “The information contained in them, if they had been read by an adversary of the United States, could conceivably have been used to harm American military and intelligence personnel, particularly in the broader Middle East, Central Command’s area of responsibility.”
He repeated, “What I will say, in order to illustrate the shocking recklessness of this Signal conversation, is that the Hegseth post contained operational details of forthcoming strikes on Yemen, including information about targets, weapons the US would be deploying, and attack sequencing.”
Congressional Criticism and Security Concerns
Following the article’s publication, criticism of the Trump administration figures escalated, with inquiries raised regarding the use of a messaging app for top-secret security matters.
Republican Rep. Don Bacon, a member of the House Armed Services Committee, stated, “I’ve accidentally send the wrong person a text. We all have. The unconscionable action was sending this info over non-secure networks. None of this should have been sent on non-secure systems.”
“Russia and China are surely monitoring his unclassified phone,” he added, referring to Hegseth.
Republican Rep. Mike Lawler also posted on X, “Classified information should not be transmitted on unsecured channels — and certainly not to those without security clearances, including reporters. Period. Safeguards must be put in place to ensure this never happens again.”
Democrat Senator Andy Kim of New Jersey called for Hegseth’s termination, describing the incident as “Really dumb and epically irresponsible. People need to lose their jobs over this. Preferably Hegseth.”
Questions have also been raised about whether Waltz potentially violated the Espionage Act, which governs the handling of “national defense” information.