Leavitt: Waltz 'took responsibility' for Signal scandal, commends Hegseth
Both men have faced significant scrutiny following the unintentional inclusion of a journalist in a sensitive private group chat.
TroibNews 
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt expressed strong support for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Thursday amid the ongoing Signal leak scandal, which has drawn increasing criticism toward both Hegseth and national security adviser Mike Waltz.
Leavitt addressed questions about potential changes in messaging from the Trump administration and accountability measures by stating, “Well, we have never denied that this was a mistake. The national security adviser took responsibility for that. And we have said we are making changes.”
She further commended Hegseth, highlighting that he was confirmed by the U.S. Senate and is “putting our war fighters first, making the world a safer place for the American people and for all people.”
These remarks followed President Donald Trump's cautious remarks about Waltz on Wednesday evening. Trump noted, “Mike Waltz, I guess he said, he claimed responsibility. It was Mike, I guess I don’t know. I always thought it was Mike.”
The scrutiny surrounding both Waltz and Hegseth intensified after The Atlantic reported that its top editor was unintentionally included in a private group chat with senior administration officials—including Waltz, Hegseth, and Vice President JD Vance—where they discussed plans to bomb Houthi rebels in Yemen.
The administration has maintained that no classified information was leaked, directing criticism instead towards journalist Jeffrey Goldberg, who was part of the chat. Calls for the removal of either Waltz or Hegseth, or potentially both, have been vocal among Capitol Hill Democrats, and even some Republicans have expressed concerns about the administration’s management of the situation.
President Trump also questioned why Hegseth faced scrutiny for the leak, especially since screenshots of the chat revealed that the defense secretary shared sensitive operational details, including launch timelines.
PMG previously reported on Trump’s frustration with Waltz, not just for including the journalist in the Signal group chat but also for potentially having The Atlantic’s editor-in-chief's contact information saved on his phone. Waltz has denied engaging in any conversation with Goldberg.
Allen M Lee for TROIB News
Leavitt addressed questions about potential changes in messaging from the Trump administration and accountability measures by stating, “Well, we have never denied that this was a mistake. The national security adviser took responsibility for that. And we have said we are making changes.”
She further commended Hegseth, highlighting that he was confirmed by the U.S. Senate and is “putting our war fighters first, making the world a safer place for the American people and for all people.”
These remarks followed President Donald Trump's cautious remarks about Waltz on Wednesday evening. Trump noted, “Mike Waltz, I guess he said, he claimed responsibility. It was Mike, I guess I don’t know. I always thought it was Mike.”
The scrutiny surrounding both Waltz and Hegseth intensified after The Atlantic reported that its top editor was unintentionally included in a private group chat with senior administration officials—including Waltz, Hegseth, and Vice President JD Vance—where they discussed plans to bomb Houthi rebels in Yemen.
The administration has maintained that no classified information was leaked, directing criticism instead towards journalist Jeffrey Goldberg, who was part of the chat. Calls for the removal of either Waltz or Hegseth, or potentially both, have been vocal among Capitol Hill Democrats, and even some Republicans have expressed concerns about the administration’s management of the situation.
President Trump also questioned why Hegseth faced scrutiny for the leak, especially since screenshots of the chat revealed that the defense secretary shared sensitive operational details, including launch timelines.
PMG previously reported on Trump’s frustration with Waltz, not just for including the journalist in the Signal group chat but also for potentially having The Atlantic’s editor-in-chief's contact information saved on his phone. Waltz has denied engaging in any conversation with Goldberg.
Allen M Lee for TROIB News
