Trump calls signal leak a 'witch hunt'
The leak of a private conversation among senior members of the Trump administration regarding military operations in Yemen has led US President Donald Trump to express skepticism about the Signal messaging platform. He labeled the media’s reaction...
TroibNews 
The leak of a private conversation among senior members of the Trump administration regarding military operations in Yemen has led US President Donald Trump to express skepticism about the Signal messaging platform. He labeled the media’s reaction to the incident as a “witch hunt.”
This week, the Trump administration confirmed that a journalist had been inadvertently included in a private Signal chat focused on a planned military assault against Houthi militants. On March 15, the US executed significant airstrikes in Sanaa and Saada, resulting in numerous casualties, as a response to Houthi actions targeting shipping in the Red Sea.
When asked about the leak on Wednesday, Trump stated he had no concerns, emphasizing that “there was no harm done, because the attack was unbelievably successful.”
He dismissed the media's attention to the issue as part of a “witch hunt,” asserting that journalists were overstating the matter when questioned about the administration’s handling of the controversy.
“I think Signal could be defective, to be honest with you,” Trump remarked. “We use Signal, and everybody uses Signal, but it could be a defective platform, and we’re gonna have to find that out,” he continued.
On Monday, The Atlantic published an article by editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg detailing a conversation among top officials about military strategies targeting the Houthis. Goldberg claimed he accessed a Signal group chat from a user named “Mike Waltz.”
This chat, labeled “Houthi PC small group,” reportedly included Vice President J.D. Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, and several other cabinet members. The Atlantic characterized their dialogue as a “fascinating policy discussion” in the lead-up to Trump’s order for the airstrikes.
Following the White House's assertion that no classified information was compromised, The Atlantic shared additional screenshots on Wednesday. Hegseth remarked that “nobody was texting war plans.”
When questioned about whether the leaked content was classified, Trump responded, “Well, that’s what I’ve heard. I don’t know[.]”
National Security Adviser Mike Waltz publicly accepted “full responsibility” for the situation, describing it as “embarrassing” during a Fox News interview on Tuesday.
In light of calls for his resignation, Trump supported Waltz, noting, “I guess he said he claimed responsibility.”
He also dismissed concerns regarding Hegseth's position, asserting that the defense secretary “had nothing to do with this” and that he is performing an “excellent job.”
On Tuesday, Signal responded to the mounting media speculation regarding potential “vulnerabilities,” asserting that its software represents “the gold standard for private, secure communications.”
Ramin Sohrabi for TROIB News
This week, the Trump administration confirmed that a journalist had been inadvertently included in a private Signal chat focused on a planned military assault against Houthi militants. On March 15, the US executed significant airstrikes in Sanaa and Saada, resulting in numerous casualties, as a response to Houthi actions targeting shipping in the Red Sea.
When asked about the leak on Wednesday, Trump stated he had no concerns, emphasizing that “there was no harm done, because the attack was unbelievably successful.”
He dismissed the media's attention to the issue as part of a “witch hunt,” asserting that journalists were overstating the matter when questioned about the administration’s handling of the controversy.
“I think Signal could be defective, to be honest with you,” Trump remarked. “We use Signal, and everybody uses Signal, but it could be a defective platform, and we’re gonna have to find that out,” he continued.
On Monday, The Atlantic published an article by editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg detailing a conversation among top officials about military strategies targeting the Houthis. Goldberg claimed he accessed a Signal group chat from a user named “Mike Waltz.”
This chat, labeled “Houthi PC small group,” reportedly included Vice President J.D. Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, and several other cabinet members. The Atlantic characterized their dialogue as a “fascinating policy discussion” in the lead-up to Trump’s order for the airstrikes.
Following the White House's assertion that no classified information was compromised, The Atlantic shared additional screenshots on Wednesday. Hegseth remarked that “nobody was texting war plans.”
When questioned about whether the leaked content was classified, Trump responded, “Well, that’s what I’ve heard. I don’t know[.]”
National Security Adviser Mike Waltz publicly accepted “full responsibility” for the situation, describing it as “embarrassing” during a Fox News interview on Tuesday.
In light of calls for his resignation, Trump supported Waltz, noting, “I guess he said he claimed responsibility.”
He also dismissed concerns regarding Hegseth's position, asserting that the defense secretary “had nothing to do with this” and that he is performing an “excellent job.”
On Tuesday, Signal responded to the mounting media speculation regarding potential “vulnerabilities,” asserting that its software represents “the gold standard for private, secure communications.”
Ramin Sohrabi for TROIB News
