Trump Administration Faces Backlash After Highly Sensitive Internal Communications Leak
The Trump team is navigating the aftermath of a significant breach of national security discussions, leaked through an encrypted group chat accidentally including a journalist from The Atlantic. In a Signal app conversation among cabinet members and senior White House aides, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth revealed specific operational details two hours before U.S. forces struck the Houthi militia in Yemen, The Atlantic reported. Michael Waltz, the national security adviser, mistakenly added Jeffrey Goldberg, editor of The Atlantic, to this group chat.
What is the White House’s stance? On Tuesday, President Trump informed NBC News that the leak was merely ‘the only glitch in two months’ and deemed it insignificant. Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, stated on social media that there were no ‘war plans’ discussed and no classified information shared in the chat thread. This contrasts with Mr. Goldberg’s claims that some messages contained sensitive content which he chose not to publish.
Mr. Goldberg’s report also highlighted concerns over the use of Signal, a nonsecure messaging platform, by senior officials, and the practice of setting messages to auto-delete. Ms. Leavitt countered, explaining that the White House Counsel’s Office had advised on using various platforms to ensure safe and efficient communication for President Trump’s top officials.
Following the Atlantic’s report, National Security Council spokesman Brian Hughes acknowledged in a statement on Monday that the message thread ‘appears to be authentic’ and confirmed officials are investigating how this unauthorized number was added.
Efforts to undermine Jeffrey Goldberg have been evident in the administration’s response. When initially questioned about the leak, Mr. Trump claimed ignorance but readily criticized the publication. ‘I’m not a big fan of The Atlantic,’ he remarked. ‘To me, it’s a magazine on its way out.’ Mr. Trump has voiced his dissatisfaction with Mr. Goldberg for years, especially after a 2020 article which asserted Mr. Trump declined to visit a cemetery in France, labeling the fallen soldiers as ‘losers.’ Mr. Hegseth also confronted Mr. Goldberg, describing him as ‘a deceitful and discredited so-called journalist’ during his trip to Asia. Meanwhile, Mr. Goldberg rebutted Mr. Hegseth’s denial on CNN, labeling it as false.
Will Mr. Waltz face repercussions? President Trump declared on Tuesday that Mr. Waltz will not face any discipline, even though Mr. Goldberg reported the national security adviser added him to the Signal chat. ‘Michael Waltz has learned a lesson, and he’s a good man,’ Trump assured NBC News. The president noted that one of Mr. Waltz’s aides had mistakenly added Mr. Goldberg. Even before this incident, Mr. Waltz had encountered skepticism from both within and outside the administration. Some of Trump’s conservative supporters questioned his loyalty, while certain Republicans he once served with in Congress found him excessively loyal.
What did Vice President JD Vance express in the chat? Within the Signal chat, Mr. Vance voiced skepticism about the Yemen operation, indicating the administration might be ‘making a mistake.’ He expressed concern that Americans wouldn’t ‘understand this or why it’s necessary,’ citing that only 3 percent of U.S. trade uses the Suez Canal, threatened by the Houthis, in contrast to 40 percent of European trade. ‘I am willing to support the consensus of the team and keep these concerns to myself,’ he wrote, later adding, ‘I just hate bailing Europe out again.’ Mr. Vance’s remarks suggest disagreement among the senior administration, particularly striking given Mr. Vance’s usual support of the president. A spokesperson for Mr. Vance denied any dissent, asserting that ‘the vice president’s first priority is ensuring adequate briefing on internal deliberations for the president.’
How have parties reacted? Democrats have expressed outrage over the report, calling for investigations into the leak of sensitive materials, and bringing up the Trump administration’s downplaying of the event. They’ve re-highlighted criticisms by Mr. Waltz and other Trump allies on Hillary Clinton’s private email scandal. Hillary Clinton herself responded by sharing The Atlantic article online, accompanied by an eye emoji and the comment: ‘You have got to be kidding me.’ Meanwhile, some Republicans shared concerns about Mr. Goldberg’s inclusion in the chat, recognizing the mistake. Most Republicans, however, recommended waiting for a full briefing before reaching conclusions. Representative Brian Fitzpatrick suggested the House Intelligence Committee send an inquiry to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence to decide if a broader investigation is necessary. House Speaker Mike Johnson, however, dismissed the idea of further disciplinary action. Sean Hannity, a Fox News host, downplayed the situation, labeling it as a ‘smear’ campaign by the left.