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US Security Adviser, Michael Waltz, admitted to mistakenly adding journalist Jeffrey Goldberg to a chat regarding Yemen military actions, while Donald Trump downplayed the incident, deflecting the blame to one of his White House staffers.
US President Donald Trump listens to Security Advisor Mike Waltz (C) as he speaks from the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC. (File photo: AFP)
New Delhi,UPDATED: Mar 26, 2025 08:13 IST
President Donald Trump on Tuesday sought to downplay a major security breach after his Security Adviser, Michael Waltz, admitted to accidentally adding a senior journalist to a secret group chat of top US officials discussing classified details of planned airstrikes in Yemen.
The controversy erupted after Jeffrey Goldberg, editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, revealed he had been inadvertently added to a private Signal group chat where Vice President JD Vance, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and other senior officials were reportedly discussing "operational details" of upcoming strikes on Houthi targets.
In his first public response, Waltz took full responsibility. "I take full responsibility. I built the group. My job is to make sure everything's coordinated," Waltz told Fox News, adding that he did not personally know Goldberg.
President Trump, however, attempted to deflect blame from Waltz. Speaking to NBC News, Trump said, "I do't think he should apologise. It was one of Michael’s people on the phone. A staffer had his number on there. Michael Waltz has learnt a lesson, and he’s a good man," signalling continued support for his Security Adviser.
Published By:
Sahil Sinha
Published On:
Mar 26, 2025
