March 26, 2025 | Washington, D.C. — President Donald Trump has come to the defense of his national security advisor Michael Waltz after a controversial report revealed that a journalist was mistakenly added to a secure Signal chat thread involving senior U.S. officials discussing pending military action against Houthi targets in Yemen.
In a phone call with NBC News, Trump stated, “Michael Waltz has learned a lesson, and he’s a good man,” signaling continued confidence in the embattled aide following the revelations published by The Atlantic.
Signal Leak Raises Eyebrows in Washington
The controversy erupted after Jeffrey Goldberg, editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, revealed in a Monday article that he had been inadvertently added to a Signal group chat titled “Houthi PC small group.” The chat reportedly included discussions about a U.S. military strike that was ultimately carried out on March 15.
According to Goldberg, the chat involved Vice President JD Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, and Waltz himself.
Goldberg claims the group exchanged messages that detailed pending military operations, contradicting statements from the Trump administration that no classified material was shared.
Trump Blames Staff Error
President Trump downplayed the incident, attributing the breach to a staff-level mistake:
“It was one of Michael’s people on the phone. A staffer had [Goldberg’s] number on there,” Trump said, suggesting the journalist’s inclusion was unintentional.
The National Security Council also confirmed the group’s authenticity but described the issue as a case of an “inadvertent number” being added, not a deliberate leak.
Officials Push Back on “War Plans” Claim
While The Atlantic characterized the chat as a forum for discussing “war plans,” administration officials have disputed that description.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said bluntly, “Nobody was texting war plans. And that’s all I have to say about that.”
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt echoed the sentiment, denying that any classified materials were exchanged in the thread.
However, Goldberg responded sharply during a CNN interview, stating, “That’s a lie. He was texting war plans, he was texting attack plans.”
Intelligence Hearing May Bring More Clarity
In a related development, Tulsi Gabbard and John Ratcliffe are scheduled to appear before the Senate Intelligence Committee today for the annual “Worldwide Threats” hearing, which begins at 10 a.m. ET. Lawmakers are expected to question both officials on the Signal chat leak and its potential implications for national security and operational integrity.
What Comes Next?
As scrutiny intensifies over secure communication protocols within the Trump administration, the incident has sparked new debates around digital security, internal vetting, and journalistic access to sensitive information. While Trump appears to be standing firmly behind Waltz, the episode could raise long-term concerns within the intelligence and defense communities.
Bhupendra Singh Chundawat is a seasoned technology journalist with over 22 years of experience in the media industry. He specializes in covering the global technology landscape, with a deep focus on manufacturing trends and the geopolitical impact on tech companies. Currently serving as the Editor at Udaipur Kiran, his insights are shaped by decades of hands-on reporting and editorial leadership in the fast-evolving world of technology.
