The Trump administration rushed on Tuesday to manage fallout after a security mishap involving a secret Signal chat. The incident came to light when Atlantic Editor-in-Chief Jeffrey Goldberg revealed he was mistakenly added to the group conversation. The chat reportedly contained sensitive discussions about military plans.
Goldberg disclosed that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth shared operational details regarding potential U.S. strikes on Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi rebels. These details allegedly included targets, weapons to be used, and the sequence of attacks.
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and CIA Director John Ratcliffe, both participants in the chat, testified before the Senate Intelligence Committee. They insisted that no classified information was shared. However, Democratic senators expressed doubt, questioning how such specific military details could be anything but classified.
Senator Angus King, an independent from Maine who caucuses with Democrats, voiced skepticism. “It’s hard to believe that discussions about targets, timing, and weaponry wouldn’t be classified,” he said during the tense hearing.
An audit of the Signal exchange was agreed upon by both Gabbard and Ratcliffe. Senate Majority Leader John Thune stated that the Senate Armed Services Committee would also investigate the matter.
The incident sparked outrage among national security experts and lawmakers. Some Democrats, along with a few Republicans, demanded accountability. Democratic Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon called for resignations from top officials, starting with the national security adviser and the defense secretary.
Despite the growing criticism, President Trump defended his team. At a White House event on Tuesday, he expressed support for his national security adviser, Michael Waltz, who had mistakenly added Goldberg to the chat. Trump said Waltz did not need to apologize but admitted that Signal would no longer be used for sensitive communications.
Later, in an interview with Newsmax, Trump suggested that a lower-level staffer may have made the mistake. He emphasized that the administration would review how secure communications are handled.
In an appearance on Fox News’s “The Ingraham Angle,” Waltz took full responsibility for the error. He called the situation “embarrassing” but maintained that no classified material was leaked. He explained that Goldberg’s number wasn’t saved in his phone and that he did not know how the journalist was added to the chat group.
The House of Representatives is also expected to question Gabbard and Ratcliffe during the upcoming “Worldwide Threats” hearing, where the incident will likely be a focus of discussion.
