President Donald Trump on Tuesday defended National Security Advisor Mike Waltz following revelations that he inadvertently added a prominent journalist to a secure group chat discussing U.S. military operations in Yemen.
The incident came to light after Jeffrey Goldberg, Editor-in-Chief of The Atlantic, reported that he was mistakenly invited to a Signal group chat that included some of the White House’s top national security officials. The chat, according to Goldberg, included detailed messages about forthcoming U.S. strikes on Houthi rebels in Yemen—a claim the White House has disputed.
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In a phone interview with NBC News, President Trump stood by Waltz, saying the advisor had “learned his lesson” and describing him as a “good man.”
“It was a mistake, but Mike is a solid guy who’s served this country well,” Trump said. “There was no harm done. These things happen, and it had no impact at all on the operation.”
The group chat reportedly included CIA Director John Ratcliffe, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Deputy White House Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, and Vice President J.D. Vance, in addition to Waltz and Goldberg.
According to Goldberg’s report, the messages contained “operational details of forthcoming strikes,” including information about targets, weaponry, and sequencing—details that matched the administration’s actions in Yemen days later. Goldberg said he exited the chat after the strikes were carried out, which would have notified Waltz that the journalist had viewed the messages.
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National Security Council spokesman Brian Hughes confirmed Monday that the group chat was real, and said the White House is actively investigating how Goldberg’s number was added.
“We take communications security seriously and are looking into how this occurred,” Hughes said.
However, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt pushed back on Goldberg’s claims Monday, stating that “no classified material was sent to the thread” and that “no one was discussing war plans.” Secretary Hegseth echoed that sentiment, calling the chat “informal” and denying that it contained any operational details.
Still, Goldberg maintained in his report that the group chat included sensitive discussions that appeared to align with the actual military strikes, though he refrained from publishing specifics.
The incident has raised questions about operational security and digital communication practices at the highest levels of government, especially as the Trump administration faces increasing scrutiny over its aggressive military posture in the Middle East.
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Congressional Democrats have already begun signaling their intent to probe the matter, with Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA), Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, calling the reports “deeply concerning.”
For now, the White House is urging caution, downplaying the severity of the breach while reaffirming its commitment to communications security.
As for Waltz, he has yet to issue a public statement, but insiders say he has acknowledged the mistake and is cooperating with the internal review.
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