- Top U.S. officials mistakenly added a journalist to a Signal chat discussing secret military plans.
- Lawmakers demand action, with some calling for resignations over the security breach.
- President Trump defends his officials, calling it a minor “glitch,” but pressure is growing.
A serious security mistake has happened in the U.S. government. Top officials used a regular phone app called Signal to talk about secret military plans. By accident, they included a journalist in their chat. This has made many people upset and worried about the country’s safety.
Jeffrey Goldberg, the editor of The Atlantic magazine, was mistakenly added to a Signal group chat. This chat included important officials like Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and National Security Adviser Mike Waltz. They were discussing plans for a military attack against Houthi rebels in Yemen. The messages talked about things like weather conditions, target details, and when the attacks would happen. This means secret military information was shared on a regular, unsecured app.
Many lawmakers are very upset about this mistake. Some Democrats want an investigation and think the officials involved should lose their jobs. Representative Chris Deluzio from Pennsylvania said, “This is an outrageous national security breach and heads should roll.” He believes people should be fired for this error. Even some Republicans are concerned. Representative Don Bacon from Nebraska, who used to be in the Air Force, said it’s a big problem to send such information over unsecured networks.
Despite the criticism, President Donald Trump is standing by his officials. He called the incident a minor “glitch” and said National Security Adviser Mike Waltz is “a good man” who has “learned a lesson.” The White House Press Secretary, Karoline Leavitt, also said that no classified information was shared in the chat.
In the past, when secret information was leaked, officials faced serious consequences. For example, in 2023, the Air Force punished 15 officers after a young airman, Jack Teixeira, was accused of leaking top-secret documents. The commander of his unit was removed from his position.
This latest breach raises serious concerns about internal security practices within the highest levels of government. While President Trump continues to defend his officials, public and congressional pressure is mounting. Will Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and National Security Adviser Mike Waltz be forced to resign? Will an investigation lead to further disciplinary actions? As scrutiny intensifies, the coming weeks will determine whether these officials can maintain their positions or if this mistake will cost them their jobs.
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