Trump addresses Signalgate blunder in Newsmax interview after Waltz takes responsibility: Live
President suggests no punishment for security officials over blunder that saw Atlantic editor Jeffrey Goldberg added to highly-sensitive Signal group chat by mistake
President Donald Trump has said Mike Waltz, his national security adviser, has no need to apologize for the alarming security breach in which he inadvertently added Jeffrey Goldberg, the editor of The Atlantic, to a Signal group chat about upcoming military action.
The administration has been under fire after it emerged on Monday that senior officials, also including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and Vice President JD Vance, reportedly discussed a highly sensitive operation aimed at targeting Houthi positions in Yemen.
Trump told reporters at the White House that he backed Waltz despite calls for his resignation. In their remarks, they both attacked Goldberg and other journalists for wanting to distract from the successes of his administration.
Hegseth also called Goldberg a “deceitful and highly discredited so-called journalist” but he too is facing calls to step down from Democrats, who have branded the scandal “a major screw-up.”
Two members of the group chat, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and CIA Director John Ratcliffe appeared before the Senate Intelligence Committee and were extensively grilled on the security breach.
The president is due to sit down for an interview with Newsmax at 9 p.m.
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Trump’s cabinet meetings show just how powerful Elon Musk has become
Colorado state capitol caves and removes Trump portrait after complaints from riled president
Attorney General demands Democrat apologize for Musk comments and accuses her of fomenting ‘insurrection’
Pam Bondi, rarely off Fox these days, called on Texas Representative Jasmine Crockett to apologize last night for her recent comments calling for Elon Musk to be “taken down,” claiming the comments are driving violence and “insurrection.”
“She needs to unequivocally denounce the violence,” Bondi said during her latest interview with Sean Hannity.
“She must apologize immediately, not only to all Texans, but to our country, to the American shareholders of Tesla, because she is promoting violence.”
AG says Rep. Crockett must apologize to Texas and Tesla investors for Musk criticism
Analysis: Trump’s cabinet meetings show just how powerful Elon Musk has become
All of that came after the president had held his third official cabinet meeting since returning to the White House, which came amid conflict with the judiciary over Trump’s executive orders on illegal immigration and ongoing concerns over Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
Here’s Richard Hall on how these gatherings showcase the extent of the billionaire’s influence, which appears to stretch to almost every department of the executive branch.
Trump’s cabinet meetings show just how powerful Elon Musk has become
Reaction: Republicans scramble to downplay security disaster
You will not be surprised to hear that America’s conservatives have so far expressed a rather different attitude to all of this, with Elon Musk, House Speaker Mike Johnson, Senator Josh Hawely and Fox hosts Sean Hannity and Jesse Watters all rushing to insist this is a big nothing burger, their haste to do so rather giving the game away.
Reaction: ‘You have got to be kidding me,’ says Hillary Clinton
Hegseth is already facing calls to resign from Democrats, who branded the scandal “amateur hour” and “a major screw-up.”
Particularly incensed was former U.S. secretary of state and first lady Hillary Clinton, whom Trump repeatedly threatened to jail for allegedly using a private email account while in office, who responded by saying simply: “You have got to be kidding me.”
Here’s more from House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Eric Swalwell, Pete Buttigieg, Ruben Gallego, Tom Suozzi and Adam Schiff:
Social media goes ballistic over Hegseth chat sharing Houthi war plan with journalist
Reaction: Atlantic editor brands Defense Secretary ‘unserious person’ over app blunder
Interviewed by MSNBC’s Jen Psaki last night, Jeffrey Goldberg was withering in his contempt for Pete Hegseth and National Security Adviser Mike Waltz for discussing “life and death issues” in a commercial messaging app, expressing relief that they had not also added a Russian spy to the chat for good measure.
Top story: Trump administration accused of staggering security breach after journalist included in war planning group chat
Good morning!
The Trump administration has been accused of a stunning breach of security after the editor of The Atlantic was included in a group chat with top officials and cabinet secretaries outlining plans to strike the Houthis in Yemen.
Two days before American warplanes struck targets associated with Iran-backed militants who’d been attacking cargo ships and bottlenecking international trade in key sea lanes, White House National Security adviser Mike Waltz appears to have started a group chat to talk about plans for the airstrikes with key officials.
The former Green Beret turned Florida congressman, who resigned in January to serve as President Donald Trump’s top national security aide, used Signal, a common encrypted messaging app, for a group chat with colleagues on the National Security Council’s “Principals Committee.”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Vice President JD Vance, the Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and CIA Director John Ratcliffe all appeared to be part of the group chat.
Others seemingly included were Trump’s Middle East and Ukraine negotiator, Steve Witkoff, White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles and Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy Stephen Miller.
And somehow, Waltz appears to have added one more person: Jeffrey Goldberg, the veteran journalist who currently serves as Editor-in-Chief of The Atlantic.
In an explosive report, Goldberg reveals how he unwittingly got an inside look at how Trump’s team began outlining their plans to bomb the Houthis in Yemen earlier this month on the encrypted app rather than any manner of official communications channels available to top government officials.
Asked about it at the White House yesterday, President Trump denied all knowledge of the incident after it inspired a torrent of criticism all around him.
Here’s a full report from Gustaf Kilander and Andrew Feinberg.
Journalist accidentally included in Trump admin group chat outlining Yemen war plans
Appeals court judges skeptical of Trump arguments to deport Venezuelans
A three-judge panel of federal appeals court judges appeared skeptical that Donald Trump’s administration could summarily deport immigrants inside the United States under the president’s use of the Alien Enemies Act.
During a hearing in Washington, D.C. Monday, deputy assistant attorney general Drew Ensign called a federal judge’s ruling that temporarily blocks those deportations an “utterly unprecedented” “intrusion” of his authority.
“Well, it’s an unprecedented action, as well,” replied Judge Patricia Millett, who was appointed by Barack Obama. “We are in unprecedented territory.”
Alex Woodward reports.
‘Nazis got better treatment’: Judges question Trump arguments to deport Venezuelans
Voters ‘empty chair’ Republicans who are skipping town halls
Amid viral protests at town halls, constituents are now empty-chairing their Republican representatives to share their frustrations in the absence of their political leaders.
GOP bosses have told their members not to appear at town hall meetings to avoid having to face down voters’ fury at the policies pushed by the administration of President Donald Trump.
Gustaf Kilander reports.
Voters ‘empty chair’ Republicans who are skipping town halls across the country
The Columbia River has benefited both U.S. and Canada with little worry... until Trump took office
A river that runs between the U.S. and Canada has now run itself right into the middle of the fight between the two allies.
President Donald Trump’s administration has now stopped negotiations to re-up a decades-old U.S.-Canada treaty that controls the flow of the Columbia River between British Columbia after claiming it could play a role in solving California water shortages.
Katie Hawkinson reports.
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