Trump Supports National Security Adviser Waltz Following Leak Incident
The president seemed to validate that the adviser included The Atlantic’s Jeffrey Goldberg in the conversation.
On Tuesday, President Donald Trump defended national security adviser Mike Waltz after the editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, Jeffrey Goldberg, was included in a Signal chat involving several high-ranking administration officials.
Trump expressed his continued support for Waltz, a former Republican congressman, even as some House Democrats suggested that officials should be dismissed due to the episode.
The president also appeared to imply during his interview that Waltz was responsible for adding Goldberg to the chat, stating: “It was one of Michael’s people on the phone. A staffer had his number on there.”
Trump conveyed his trust in his team, asserting that Goldberg’s addition to the conversation was “the only glitch in two months, and it turned out not to be a serious one.”
However, some Democrats argued that administration officials should face consequences or be terminated.
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“This represents a significant national security breach and there should be consequences. A thorough investigation and hearing on this matter are urgently needed within the House Armed Services Committee,” remarked Rep. Chris Deluzio (D-Pa.) in a social media post, mirroring a sentiment echoed by many Democrats regarding the situation.
In an article released on Monday, Goldberg claimed that the Signal chat—which also involved Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, intelligence chief Tulsi Gabbard, Vice President JD Vance, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio—contained plans for a strike on the Houthis, a Yemeni terrorist group responsible for ongoing attacks in the Red Sea.
Goldberg mentioned on MSNBC on Monday that the discussion within the chat allegedly featured a “minute-by-minute account of what was about to happen,” which was shared by Hegseth while in Yemen.
“This is their strategy, and he was distributing their strategy among several civilian leaders,” he stated.
However, Hegseth dismissed Goldberg’s claims when addressing reporters in Hawaii on Monday, stating that “nobody was texting war plans.” He also criticized Goldberg for his previous reporting.
“The White House Counsel’s Office has provided guidance on various platforms for President Trump’s senior officials to communicate safely and efficiently,” Leavitt wrote.
