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US President Donald Trump and his intelligence chiefs have dismissed concerns over a security breach that allowed a journalist to participate in a Signal group chat, which reportedly featured discussions on national security officials planning airstrikes in Yemen. During a Senate hearing, US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and CIA Director John Ratcliffe both stated that no classified information had been conveyed through the chat. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth faced criticism regarding the incident but did not testify.
Democratic senators criticized the cabinet officials for their apparent lack of competence concerning national security. Amid the fallout, Trump publicly supported National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, who was central to the controversy. The situation has ignited significant concern in Washington over why high-ranking officials engaged in discussions about sensitive topics on a civilian app perceived as potentially insecure.
Atlantic magazine's editor in chief, Jeffrey Goldberg, was unintentionally added to the group of 18, initially considering it a prank but later recognizing its authenticity once a raid in Yemen was executed. The airstrikes, which occurred on March 15, resulted in approximately 53 casualties, targeting Iran-aligned Houthi rebels who pose threats to maritime trade and Israel.
The leak dominated the agenda of the Senate Intelligence Committee hearing, which was initially set to address issues such as drug cartels and human trafficking. Throughout the hearing, Ratcliffe maintained that no specific operational details about weapons or timings were shared. When queried if he viewed the leak as a significant mistake, Ratcliffe replied negatively, while Gabbard insisted that what transpired was an unintentional release of discussion.
Democrats on the committee were quick to express their discontent, with Colorado's Michael Bennet highlighting negligence and Georgia's Jon Ossoff referring to the incident—dubbed "Signalgate"—as an embarrassment, criticizing the absence of an apology and recognition of the severity of the breach.
In contrast, Republicans voiced more tempered concerns. Senator Lindsey Graham remarked, "We dodged a bullet," while Mississippi's Roger Wicker signaled intentions to pursue bipartisan investigations into the chat leak, anticipating cooperation from the administration. Jim Risch from Idaho also promised a thorough inquiry into the matter, vowing to ascertain the full scope of the situation.
Trump's administration framed the leak as part of a "coordinated effort" to distract from the president's achievements. Trump maintained that the circumstances of the leak were a result of a minor glitch and reiterated faith in Waltz. He said the addition of Goldberg, to whom he has had contentious exchanges in the past, was not a serious operational concern.
Waltz approached the media later, acknowledging personal responsibility for the leak and committing to uncovering the circumstances surrounding it, suggesting a staffer played a role in the journalist's addition to the chat. Meanwhile, experts in national security claimed that this incident represented a substantial operational error, emphasizing that discussions regarding sensitive topics should not take place on an unsecured platform.
Additionally, a non-partisan watchdog group, American Oversight, has sued the officials involved for potential violations of federal record-keeping laws, arguing that setting the chat to delete messages automatically undermines compliance with the National Archives. Recently, the NSA highlighted vulnerabilities in the Signal app, intensifying scrutiny over its use for sensitive communications. Signal, in response, countered claims of insecurity, presenting itself as the "gold standard" for secure messaging solutions.
Mick Mulroy, a former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense, stressed that sensitive conversations on commercial, insecure applications like Signal were entirely unacceptable, reflecting a serious lapse in judgment among the participants.
US President Donald Trump and his intelligence chiefs have dismissed concerns over a security breach that allowed a journalist to participate in a Signal group chat, which reportedly featured discussions on national security officials planning airstrikes in Yemen. During a Senate hearing, US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and CIA Director John Ratcliffe both stated that no classified information had been conveyed through the chat. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth faced criticism regarding the incident but did not testify.
Democratic senators criticized the cabinet officials for their apparent lack of competence concerning national security. Amid the fallout, Trump publicly supported National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, who was central to the controversy. The situation has ignited significant concern in Washington over why high-ranking officials engaged in discussions about sensitive topics on a civilian app perceived as potentially insecure.
Atlantic magazine's editor in chief, Jeffrey Goldberg, was unintentionally added to the group of 18, initially considering it a prank but later recognizing its authenticity once a raid in Yemen was executed. The airstrikes, which occurred on March 15, resulted in approximately 53 casualties, targeting Iran-aligned Houthi rebels who pose threats to maritime trade and Israel.
The leak dominated the agenda of the Senate Intelligence Committee hearing, which was initially set to address issues such as drug cartels and human trafficking. Throughout the hearing, Ratcliffe maintained that no specific operational details about weapons or timings were shared. When queried if he viewed the leak as a significant mistake, Ratcliffe replied negatively, while Gabbard insisted that what transpired was an unintentional release of discussion.
Democrats on the committee were quick to express their discontent, with Colorado's Michael Bennet highlighting negligence and Georgia's Jon Ossoff referring to the incident—dubbed "Signalgate"—as an embarrassment, criticizing the absence of an apology and recognition of the severity of the breach.
In contrast, Republicans voiced more tempered concerns. Senator Lindsey Graham remarked, "We dodged a bullet," while Mississippi's Roger Wicker signaled intentions to pursue bipartisan investigations into the chat leak, anticipating cooperation from the administration. Jim Risch from Idaho also promised a thorough inquiry into the matter, vowing to ascertain the full scope of the situation.
Trump's administration framed the leak as part of a "coordinated effort" to distract from the president's achievements. Trump maintained that the circumstances of the leak were a result of a minor glitch and reiterated faith in Waltz. He said the addition of Goldberg, to whom he has had contentious exchanges in the past, was not a serious operational concern.
Waltz approached the media later, acknowledging personal responsibility for the leak and committing to uncovering the circumstances surrounding it, suggesting a staffer played a role in the journalist's addition to the chat. Meanwhile, experts in national security claimed that this incident represented a substantial operational error, emphasizing that discussions regarding sensitive topics should not take place on an unsecured platform.
Additionally, a non-partisan watchdog group, American Oversight, has sued the officials involved for potential violations of federal record-keeping laws, arguing that setting the chat to delete messages automatically undermines compliance with the National Archives. Recently, the NSA highlighted vulnerabilities in the Signal app, intensifying scrutiny over its use for sensitive communications. Signal, in response, countered claims of insecurity, presenting itself as the "gold standard" for secure messaging solutions.
Mick Mulroy, a former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense, stressed that sensitive conversations on commercial, insecure applications like Signal were entirely unacceptable, reflecting a serious lapse in judgment among the participants.
