Washington — On Tuesday, President Trump came to the defense of national security adviser Mike Waltz amid scrutiny regarding his administration’s utilization of the encrypted messaging app Signal. This scrutiny arose after a reporter was inadvertently included in a group chat that discussed highly sensitive plans targeting Houthi forces in Yemen.
During a press briefing at the White House, Mr. Trump stated that the details shared in the 18-member group chat—which featured notable officials like Vice President JD Vance and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth—were not classified. He characterized Waltz as a “very good man” who will “continue to do a good job.”
“I don’t believe he should apologize. I think he’s doing his best,” the president expressed about Waltz. “The equipment and technology aren’t perfect, and it’s likely he won’t be using it again, at least not in the near future.”
The Trump administration’s decision to utilize the app to outline plans for a bombing campaign against Houthi targets on March 15 came to light on Monday when Jeffrey Goldberg, the editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, disclosed that he was added to a Signal chat by an account listed as Waltz’s name earlier this month.
A few days later, an account identified as “Pete Hegseth” shared details regarding strikes in Yemen, including specifics about “weapons packages, targets, and timing” moments before the attack occurred, according to Goldberg.
Among those included in the chat were accounts believed to belong to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, and special envoy for Ukraine and the Middle East Steve Witkoff, as per Goldberg’s report. Witkoff was in Moscow when he was added to the group chat, a CBS News examination of public flight data and Russian media documents revealed.
Hegseth denied that any war strategies were discussed; however, the National Security Council acknowledged in a statement to CBS News that the message thread described by Goldberg “appears to be authentic.”
This breach led to swift condemnation from congressional Democrats regarding the Trump administration, raising concerns about the legitimacy of using Signal on government or personal devices and whether sensitive information was being circulated by high-ranking U.S. officials.
In a letter to Mr. Trump on Tuesday, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries stated, “Hegseth should be terminated immediately.”
“The so-called Secretary of Defense carelessly and indiscriminately revealed critical war plans—including the timing of a forthcoming attack, potential strike targets, and associated weaponry—during an unclassified national security group chat that inexplicably included a reporter,” Jeffries asserted. “His actions are appalling, endanger American lives, and likely contravene the law.”
Meanwhile, Mr. Trump conveyed to the press that he anticipates his administration will curtail its use of Signal moving forward, although he recognized that “many people” throughout the federal government depend on the app.
“I don’t foresee us being enthusiastic about using it again,” he remarked. “We might be compelled to use it in situations where speed is prioritized over absolute safety. Generally, I think our reliance on it will be quite limited.”
The president voiced concerns about potential vulnerabilities within the app that might allow unauthorized users to breach conversations.
“I think Michael, I’ve requested you to investigate immediately to determine if others can infiltrate a system,” Mr. Trump said.
Waltz noted that technical experts and legal teams would examine the issue.
“Naturally, we’re committed to ensuring the utmost security,” he stated. “No one on your national security team would ever jeopardize anyone’s safety.”
Waltz subsequently criticized Goldberg, alleging that he and other journalists in Washington, D.C., have “built their reputations on fabricating lies about this president.”
“This particular individual, I’ve never met, don’t know, and have never communicated with. We’re currently investigating how he gained access to this discussion,” he remarked.
Waltz informed the president that Goldberg is trying to divert attention from the “freedom that you’re enabling” and added that “the world owes President Trump a favor.”
Earlier on Tuesday, Ratcliffe and Gabbard appeared before the Senate Intelligence Committee, facing inquiries from senators about the incident. Both denied any exchange of classified information in the group chat, though Ratcliffe confirmed his participation in the thread.
Ratcliffe also indicated that Signal was on his agency computer when he took over the CIA earlier this year, asserting that it is “acceptable” to use it for work-related communication and coordination.
