Outrage grows over accidental group chat of sensitive U.S. airstrike details

On Capitol Hill, a growing outcry is surrounding a Signal group chat between top U.S. officials that discussed sensitive details of impending airstrikes in Yemen.

(NBC)-On Capitol Hill, a growing outcry is surrounding a Signal group chat between top U.S. officials that discussed sensitive details of impending airstrikes in Yemen—an exchange that included an inadvertently added journalist. Senator Michael Bennet (D-Colorado) condemned the incident, calling it “sloppiness, incompetence, and disrespect” for intelligence agencies and their personnel, deeming it “entirely unacceptable.”

In contrast, President Donald Trump downplayed the controversy, stating, “There was no problem and the attack was a tremendous success,” referring to the successful U.S. airstrikes. National Security Advisor Mike Waltz acknowledged his role in creating the group chat and taking full responsibility for the mishap. “I take full responsibility. I built the group,” Waltz said, explaining that the group chat was created to discuss sensitive military details, but somehow invited The Atlantic’s top editor, Jeffrey Goldberg.

Goldberg revealed that the chat included key figures such as Vice President JD Vance and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who reportedly sent messages about targets, weapons, and attack sequencing two hours before U.S. airstrikes targeted the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen. While Hegseth denied any issues, claiming, “Nobody’s texting war plans. I know exactly what I’m doing,” Goldberg disputed this, hinting at the potential release of more messages.

The chat also involved Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and CIA Director John Ratcliffe, who both faced scrutiny during a Senate hearing. Both officials denied that any classified information was shared in the group chat. “My communications to be clear in a Signal message group were entirely permissible and lawful,” Ratcliffe stated, while Gabbard added, “There was no classified material that was shared.”

However, Senator Mark Warner (D-Virginia) was not satisfied with their explanations, saying, “So if there was no classified material, share it with the committee. You can’t have it both ways. These are important jobs. This is our national security.”