President Trump is standing by his team’s explanation surrounding a significant security mishap involving a leaked group chat. This particular chat, which included plans for airstrikes against terrorists in Yemen, unexpectedly included Jeffrey Goldberg, the editor-in-chief of The Atlantic. Trump expressed his confidence in his staff’s narrative on how Goldberg was inadvertently added to what should have been a secured messaging platform.
During an interview with Newsmax, Trump elaborated, saying, “What it was, we believe, is somebody that was on the line with permission; somebody that was with Mike Waltz – worked for Mike Waltz at a lower level – had, I guess, Goldberg’s number or called through the app, and somehow this guy ended up on the call.” The President further defended his national security advisor, Mike Waltz, during a cabinet meeting, insisting that there was no need for him to apologize for this slip-up. “He’s a very good man, and he will continue to do a good job,” Trump affirmed.
President Trump addresses to "Greg Kelly Reports" the apparent military action group chat which Atlantic editor Jeffrey Goldberg claimed he was added to, in which Trump says no classified intel was revealed, and that Goldberg and The Atlantic are "losers." pic.twitter.com/G6uCtO3eXq
— NEWSMAX (@NEWSMAX) March 26, 2025
Waltz, for his part, accepted the blame for the incident, stating on Fox News, “I take responsibility, I built the group. We’re going to get to the bottom of it.” He mentioned having consulted with technical experts, including Elon Musk, to understand how this breach occurred. The implications of such a breach are not trivial; it has brought about heated discussions among lawmakers about the reliability of U.S. national security communications.
Goldberg himself commented on the absurdity of the situation, stressing the unorthodox nature of discussing military actions within a messaging app. He noted, “It seemed completely absurd to me that the national security leadership for the United States would be meeting, you know, on a messaging app to discuss forthcoming military action.” His insights are echoed by national security experts, who voiced alarms about the use of unclassified platforms for such sensitive discussions.
Key figures in the chat included Vice President JD Vance and other high-ranking officials, prompting scrutiny from policymakers. During a Senate intelligence hearing, Senator Ron Wyden called for resignations, condemning the incident as “sloppiness” and “incompetence.” Similarly, Senator Michael Bennett expressed that the circumstances surrounding this leak were an embarrassment to intelligence agencies.
In response, CIA Director John Ratcliffe maintained that all communications within the messaging group were legal and did not breach classified protocols. He pointed out the distinction between an inadvertent leak and serious breaches involving classified information, underscoring the need for clarity in the roles and responsibilities of individuals discussing national security matters. DNI Tulsi Gabbard supported this, adding that not all leaks are created equal.
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