U.S. President Donald Trump has backed his top security aide after a journalist was mistakenly added to a group chat where senior officials were discussing plans for airstrikes on rebels in Yemen.
Trump said that a staff member working for national security adviser Mike Waltz had inadvertently invited Jeffrey Goldberg, editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, to the discussion on the Signal private messaging app.
The incident has shaken Washington, with the officials involved facing criticism from political opponents and allies for the blunder and the use of commercially-available software for sharing sensitive information.
It has also caused a stir in Europe as leaked messages showed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had branded the continent “pathetic” for “free-loading” on the U.S. and its military power.
But key administration figures have played down the error and on Tuesday, in an interview with NBC News, Trump said it was just a “glitch” and gave Waltz his vote of confidence.
“Michael Waltz has learned a lesson, and he’s a good man,” the president said.
Asked how the journalist was invited onto the chat, Trump said: “It was one of Michael’s people on the phone. A staffer had his [Goldberg’s] number on there.”
The 78-year-old leader added that Goldberg’s presence on the group had “no impact at all” on the U.S.’s plans to target Yemen’s Houthi rebel group with airstrikes, which were carried out soon afterwards.
The incident has shaken Washington, with the officials involved facing criticism from political opponents and allies for the blunder and the use of commercially-available software for sharing sensitive information.
It has also caused a stir in Europe as leaked messages showed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had branded the continent “pathetic” for “free-loading” on the U.S. and its military power.
‘Just a glitch’ – Trump
But key administration figures have played down the error and on Tuesday, in an interview with NBC News, Trump said it was just a “glitch” and gave Waltz his vote of confidence.
“Michael Waltz has learned a lesson, and he’s a good man,” the president said.
Asked how the journalist was invited onto the chat, Trump said: “It was one of Michael’s people on the phone. A staffer had his [Goldberg’s] number on there.”
The 78-year-old leader added that Goldberg’s presence on the group had “no impact at all” on the U.S.’s plans to target Yemen’s Houthi rebel group with airstrikes, which were carried out soon afterwards.
Trump said the situation was “the only glitch” in the two months since he returned to the White House, adding that the mistake “turned out not to be a serious one.”
However, several high-ranking officials from his administration faced heavy questioning and criticism in the U.S. Senate on Tuesday.
Democratic senator Michael Bennet accused the government of being “sloppy” with sensitive information.
“This sloppiness, this incompetence, this disrespect for our intelligence agencies and the personnel who work for them is entirely unacceptable,” he said, according to the BBC.
CIA director John Ratcliffe – who admitted being on the chat group – defended the use of Signal, saying it was “permissible to use to communicate and coordinate for work purposes” as long as “any decisions that are made are also recorded through formal channels.”
Pressed on whether any classified information was shared on the group, Ratcliffe denied that specific information linked to the military operations against the Houthis was shared – in sharp contrast to The Atlantic’s report on the incident, which said that the chat included details of targets, weapons and strategy.
‘Sloppy and incompetent’
However, several high-ranking officials from his administration faced heavy questioning and criticism in the U.S. Senate on Tuesday.
Democratic senator Michael Bennet accused the government of being “sloppy” with sensitive information.
“This sloppiness, this incompetence, this disrespect for our intelligence agencies and the personnel who work for them is entirely unacceptable,” he said, according to the BBC.
CIA director John Ratcliffe – who admitted being on the chat group – defended the use of Signal, saying it was “permissible to use to communicate and coordinate for work purposes” as long as “any decisions that are made are also recorded through formal channels.”
Pressed on whether any classified information was shared on the group, Ratcliffe denied that specific information linked to the military operations against the Houthis was shared – in sharp contrast to The Atlantic’s report on the incident, which said that the chat included details of targets, weapons and strategy.
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