Waltz Accepts Blame for Yemen Conversation Leak, Trump Minimizes Significance
U.S. National Security Advisor Mike Waltz stated on Tuesday that he takes "full responsibility" for accidentally including a journalist in a group chat where high-ranking American officials were discussing upcoming strikes in Yemen. Meanwhile, both U.S. President Donald Trump and his administration have minimized the significance of this security breach.
TroibNews 
U.S. National Security Advisor Mike Waltz took "full responsibility" on Tuesday for unintentionally including a journalist in a group chat where high-ranking American officials discussed planned strikes in Yemen. Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump and his administration have downplayed the ramifications of the security breach.
"I take full responsibility. I built the group; my job is to make sure everything's coordinated," Waltz told Fox News host Laura Ingraham during his first interview concerning the incident, noting that he does not know Jeffery Goldberg, the journalist who was mistakenly added to the chat.
Waltz confirmed that an investigation is underway to determine how Jeffrey Goldberg, the editor-in-chief of Atlantic magazine, gained access to the confidential discussion.
Goldberg reported that he received a connection request on the Signal, an encrypted messaging app, from a user named Michael Waltz on March 11. At the time, it was unclear if this was indeed the official account of the U.S. National Security Advisor.
Two days later, Goldberg was inadvertently added to an 18-member group chat where Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Vice President JD Vance, and other top officials discussed impending strikes against Yemen's Houthi rebels.
Initially thinking it was a hoax, Goldberg realized the messages were genuine after the planned raid was executed in Yemen.
In response to the situation, Trump voiced his support for Waltz and stated that no classified information was revealed. "Michael Waltz has learned a lesson, and he's a good man," Trump told NBC News in a phone interview.
He referred to Goldberg's presence in the group chat as a "glitch" that had "no impact at all" on operations and indicated that it was one of Waltz's aides who invited the journalist. "A staffer had his number on there," he explained.
The Republican president mentioned that the administration would evaluate the use of Signal but believed that Waltz should not apologize. Additionally, Trump criticized Goldberg as a "sleazebag" and remarked, "nobody gives a damn" about the controversy that has captured Washington's attention.
During a stormy Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on the leak, U.S. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and CIA Director John Ratcliffe, who were both reportedly part of the chat, defended their actions by asserting that no classified material had been shared. However, Democratic senators expressed doubt, highlighting that Goldberg reported specific operational details regarding pending strikes against Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis, including information about targets, weaponry, and attack sequencing.
Committee members announced plans for an audit of the exchanges, which Gabbard and Ratcliffe agreed to. Senate Republican majority leader John Thune anticipated that the Senate Armed Services Committee would examine the Trump administration's use of Signal.
"It's hard for me to believe that targets and timing and weapons would not have been classified," remarked Senator Angus King, an independent from Maine who collaborates with Democrats, during the heated hearing that featured several pointed exchanges.
Gabbard and Ratcliffe will face further questioning from lawmakers on Wednesday at the House of Representatives' annual "Worldwide Threats" hearing, where Democrats plan to discuss the Signal chat.
Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin has called for Hegseth's resignation, urging that he "be fired" if he does not step down. In his statement, Martin criticized Hegseth as "unfit to lead the Defense Department," emphasizing the need for enhanced national security. "Hegseth should resign, and if he doesn't resign, he should be fired. It's crystal clear that our men and women in uniform deserve better – and that our national security cannot be left in Hegseth's incompetent and unqualified hands," he stated.
Jessica Kline for TROIB News
"I take full responsibility. I built the group; my job is to make sure everything's coordinated," Waltz told Fox News host Laura Ingraham during his first interview concerning the incident, noting that he does not know Jeffery Goldberg, the journalist who was mistakenly added to the chat.
Waltz confirmed that an investigation is underway to determine how Jeffrey Goldberg, the editor-in-chief of Atlantic magazine, gained access to the confidential discussion.
Goldberg reported that he received a connection request on the Signal, an encrypted messaging app, from a user named Michael Waltz on March 11. At the time, it was unclear if this was indeed the official account of the U.S. National Security Advisor.
Two days later, Goldberg was inadvertently added to an 18-member group chat where Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Vice President JD Vance, and other top officials discussed impending strikes against Yemen's Houthi rebels.
Initially thinking it was a hoax, Goldberg realized the messages were genuine after the planned raid was executed in Yemen.
In response to the situation, Trump voiced his support for Waltz and stated that no classified information was revealed. "Michael Waltz has learned a lesson, and he's a good man," Trump told NBC News in a phone interview.
He referred to Goldberg's presence in the group chat as a "glitch" that had "no impact at all" on operations and indicated that it was one of Waltz's aides who invited the journalist. "A staffer had his number on there," he explained.
The Republican president mentioned that the administration would evaluate the use of Signal but believed that Waltz should not apologize. Additionally, Trump criticized Goldberg as a "sleazebag" and remarked, "nobody gives a damn" about the controversy that has captured Washington's attention.
During a stormy Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on the leak, U.S. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and CIA Director John Ratcliffe, who were both reportedly part of the chat, defended their actions by asserting that no classified material had been shared. However, Democratic senators expressed doubt, highlighting that Goldberg reported specific operational details regarding pending strikes against Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis, including information about targets, weaponry, and attack sequencing.
Committee members announced plans for an audit of the exchanges, which Gabbard and Ratcliffe agreed to. Senate Republican majority leader John Thune anticipated that the Senate Armed Services Committee would examine the Trump administration's use of Signal.
"It's hard for me to believe that targets and timing and weapons would not have been classified," remarked Senator Angus King, an independent from Maine who collaborates with Democrats, during the heated hearing that featured several pointed exchanges.
Gabbard and Ratcliffe will face further questioning from lawmakers on Wednesday at the House of Representatives' annual "Worldwide Threats" hearing, where Democrats plan to discuss the Signal chat.
Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin has called for Hegseth's resignation, urging that he "be fired" if he does not step down. In his statement, Martin criticized Hegseth as "unfit to lead the Defense Department," emphasizing the need for enhanced national security. "Hegseth should resign, and if he doesn't resign, he should be fired. It's crystal clear that our men and women in uniform deserve better – and that our national security cannot be left in Hegseth's incompetent and unqualified hands," he stated.
Jessica Kline for TROIB News
