Democrats were up in arms against the Donald Trump administration, demanding an investigation into the leak of the government’s war plan on a Signal group, which had Atlantic editor-in-chief Jeffret Goldberg. Goldberg reported his experience of silently watching the group ‘exploding’ — in what is being touted as a major security breach. Demands for the resignations of Pete Hegseth and Mike Waltz have been raised, though the White House asserted that the administration does not see it as any breach.
‘If Pete Hegseth had any honor, he would resign’
New York Times columnist David French called on Hegseth to resign following the breach, accusing him of potentially criminal charges. “I don’t know how Pete Hegseth can look service members in the eye. He’s just blown his credibility as a military leader,” French commented.
Pete Hegseth defiantly said no war plan was discussed though Goldberg insisted that there’s much that he did not report on.
Mike Waltz created the group and added journalist by mistake
While Pete Hegseth stands guilty of sharing the war plan on a Signal group probably being oblivious of who all were added to the group, it was Trump’s National Security Advisor Mike Waltz who created the group and ‘by mistake’ added Goldberg, the Atlantic report confirmed.
Mike Waltz or Pete Hegseth? Who will be fired?
No one. The Trump administration has made sure that no one faces any heat publicly over the episode, which the White House dismissed as a minor one. “Michael Waltz has learned a lesson, and he’s a good man,” Trump said Tuesday in a phone interview with NBC News.
Trump said one of Michael’s people must have added Goldberg to the chat though it had no impact on the military operation at all. Trump said it was the only glitch in two months and that too not a serious one.
White House’s 3-point statement on chat leak
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Jeffrey Goldberg is well-known for his sensational spin. In three points, Leavitt downplayed the incident, saying that no war plans were discussed, no classified material was sent, and that the White House would see how Goldberg’s number was added to that group.