Mike Waltz, Donald Trump’s national security adviser, has stated that he accepts full accountability for a surprising leak of military plans via a Signal chat. Trump came to his defense, describing it as “the only glitch in two months.”
“I accept full responsibility. I created the group. My role is to ensure everything is coordinated,” Waltz remarked during a Fox News interview, acknowledging that “it’s embarrassing.”
The Trump administration has been working to mitigate the repercussions since the Atlantic released a report on Monday. The article disclosed that its editor-in-chief, Jeffrey Goldberg, had inadvertently been added to a chat with Waltz and senior White House officials, including Vice President JD Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The group shared sensitive operational details regarding planned US airstrikes on Yemen.
Waltz claims ‘full responsibility’ for Signal, yet can’t clarify how it happened
In an interview with Laura Ingraham from Fox News, Waltz acknowledged his role in creating the Signal group but continued to deflect blame, criticized Goldberg, and stated he couldn’t clarify how the error occurred.
“It’s embarrassing, yes. We will find the root cause of it,” Waltz mentioned, adding that he was consulting with Elon Musk: “We’ve engaged top technical experts to understand how this happened.”
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Democrats seek accountability over ‘careless’ Signal incident
On Tuesday, Democratic senators called for explanations from US intelligence community leaders regarding the Signal breach, asserting that the “sloppy, careless” leak jeopardized national security.
Tulsi Gabbard, the Director of National Intelligence, and CIA Director John Ratcliffe testified before the Senate Intelligence Committee, where Democratic Senator Michael Bennet criticized the security failure as “swampiness, incompetence, and an embarrassment.” Senior intelligence officials will face further inquiries from lawmakers on Wednesday.
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Leak indicates Five Eyes allies must ‘prioritize self-protection’, states Mark Carney
Prime Minister of Canada Mark Carney expressed that the Signal leak necessitates allied nations to increasingly “look out for ourselves” as trust erodes with a once-close partner. Carney called the intelligence blunder a “serious, serious issue” requiring that “all lessons must be heeded.” He is keen to observe “how individuals react to such mistakes and how they reinforce their protocols.”
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Pentagon advised staff against using Signal
Recently, the Pentagon advised its personnel against utilizing Signal due to a technical vulnerability. According to a Pentagon “OPSEC special bulletin” obtained by NPR reporters, this alert was sent out on March 18, stating that Russian hacking groups could exploit Signal’s vulnerability for espionage targeting “persons of interest.”
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Trump administration asserts details of mass deportations are state secrets
The Trump administration invoked the “state secrets” privilege to avoid disclosing further information to a federal judge concerning this month’s controversial immigrant expulsions to El Salvador under the Alien Enemies Act.
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Judge rules Columbia protester cannot be detained during deportation fight
A federal judge in Manhattan has prohibited immigration officials from detaining Yunseo Chung, a Columbia University student and legal permanent resident, whom the Trump administration is attempting to deport for participating in protests in solidarity with Gaza.
The 21-year-old green card holder, who has resided in the US since she was seven, filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration on Monday, contending that the government is “using immigration enforcement as a tool to suppress disfavored speech.”
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Trump signs executive order set to overhaul US voter registration processes
Donald Trump has enacted a sweeping executive order poised to drastically change American voter registration procedures, introducing highly restrictive measures that could disenfranchise millions of citizens if enacted.
Will Scharf, the White House staff secretary, referred to it on Tuesday as “the most far-reaching executive action in the history of the nation,” marking the latest in a series of initiatives targeting immigration and current voting systems.
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Trump’s outburst leads to removal of his ‘distorted’ portrait
A portrait of Donald Trump, commissioned by Republican supporters, was taken down from the Colorado state capitol after he allegedly expressed that it had been “purposefully distorted.” The portrait had been displayed since 2019.
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Additional events today:
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The University of Southern California has implemented an immediate hiring freeze for all staff positions, “with very few critical exceptions” as US universities prepare for potential funding cuts from the Trump administration.
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US consumer confidence has dropped to its lowest level in more than four years in March, with households expressing concerns about a possible recession and rising inflation as a result of Trump’s tariffs.
Catching up? Here’s what transpired on Monday, March 24.
