Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has firmly denied claims that he inadvertently disclosed classified military plans to a journalist. The controversy arose when Jeffrey Goldberg, editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, reported receiving sensitive information via a group chat on the encrypted app Signal. Goldberg alleged that the chat, which included high-ranking officials such as Vice President J.D. Vance and National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, discussed potential military actions against Houthi rebels in Yemen.
Addressing reporters upon his arrival in Hawaii, Hegseth stated, “Nobody was texting war plans, and that’s all I have to say about that.” He criticized Goldberg, labeling him a “deceitful and highly discredited so-called journalist” known for disseminating “garbage.”
Despite Hegseth’s rebuttal, the National Security Council (NSC) acknowledged the authenticity of the message thread. NSC spokesperson Brian Hughes confirmed that officials are investigating how an unintended participant was added to the conversation.
In a statement, Hughes stated: “We are reviewing how an inadvertent number was added to the chain. The thread is a demonstration of the deep and thoughtful policy coordination between senior officials. The ongoing success of the Houthi operation demonstrates that there were no threats to our service members or our national security.”
The incident has prompted bipartisan concern. Senator Roger Wicker (R-MS) chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, expressed, “We’re very concerned about it, and we’ll be looking into it on a bipartisan basis.” Senate Majority Leader John Thune “(R-SD) also called for a thorough investigation, stating, “Obviously, we got to run it to the ground, figure out what went on there.”
In response to the situation, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt affirmed that President Donald Trump maintains “the utmost confidence” in Waltz and the national security team. However, reports from Politico suggest internal discussions about the potential dismissal of Waltz due to concerns over recklessness. An unnamed White House official remarked, “You can’t have recklessness as the national security adviser.”
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) adopted a more forgiving stance, stating, “I think it would be a terrible mistake for there to be adverse consequences on any of the people that were involved in that call. They were trying to do a good job; the mission was accomplished with precision.”
This is a developing story.
