The White House is endeavoring to manage a controversy arising from revelations that senior officials engaged in discussions about sensitive U.S. military operations in Yemen on a Signal messaging group. Former President Donald Trump has offered support to Mike Waltz, his national security adviser, amidst the scandal.
In a statement to NBC News, Trump expressed that Waltz had learned from the experience and described him as a good individual. Trump further commented that the accidental leak of conversations regarding recent airstrikes on the Houthis— which Waltz mistakenly shared with a journalist— was the only lapse in two months and was ultimately not deemed significant.
Pressure is mounting on Waltz to resign due to his involvement in the Signal group chat incident. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has also faced scrutiny for divulging detailed plans about the operation against the Houthis in this unauthorized chat. Vice President JD Vance, another participant, criticized the military actions, labeling them as a “mistake” and a bailout for Europe.
The controversy has caused significant shockwaves across Washington, reflecting poorly on the Trump administration by exposing the reckless manner in which high-level officials were handling delicate U.S. national security information via an unofficial platform. However, it remains uncertain whether U.S. law enforcement agencies will undertake an investigation into this breach or if any officials will be held accountable.
On Tuesday morning, leading intelligence officials, including Tulsi Gabbard, the Director of National Intelligence; John Ratcliffe, CIA Director; and Kash Patel, Head of the FBI, faced intense questioning from Democrats on the Senate Intelligence Committee about the matter. Mark Warner, the committee’s vice-chair, criticized the incident as another display of negligent behavior, especially concerning classified information. He emphasized that such actions would have resulted in termination if committed by military or intelligence officers.
Gabbard downplayed the situation, asserting that no classified information was shared in the Signal chat. Ratcliffe echoed this sentiment, stating that his communications within the group were permissible and lawful, lacking any classified content. He highlighted that the use of Signal was sanctioned at the highest levels and was not intended to replace more secure communication methods.
The White House has attempted to mitigate the scandal, with Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stating on social media that no “war plans” or classified materials were discussed or shared in the chat. She added that the White House Counsel’s Office had provided guidance on various platforms to enable President Trump’s senior officials to communicate safely and efficiently.