Trump refuses to fire Mike Waltz despite Hegseth group chat national security chain leak
President Donald Trump defends National Security Advisor Mike Waltz despite reports of a national security breach, following a controversial text chain leak.
President Trump has confirmed that he has no plans to fire National Security Advisor Mike Waltz after leaked a text chain concerns about a potential national security breach. Despite the controversy, Trump emphasized there was nothing significant in the messages, which involved discussions about the U.S. operation against the Houthis in Yemen.
The leaked text chain, which was originally reported by The Atlantic, has sparked intense debate, with some calling for Waltz's removal. However, the US president insisting that the situation was a "mistake" and stating that the breach had no major implications.
Trump will not fire Mike Waltz despite The Atlantic's incident
President Donald Trump has confirmed that he does not plan to fire National Security Advisor Mike Waltz following reports by The Atlantic about a potential national security breach, as confirmed by Fox News.
“He’s not getting fired,” Trump told Fox News, referring to the situation as a “mistake” but stressing that there was “nothing important” in the Signal text chain involved. The president praised Waltz as a “good guy” and mentioned that the U.S. operation against the Houthis in Yemen, discussed in the text chain, was a “success.”
A source close to the president assured Fox News that Waltz’s position is secure, and he has no plans to resign. He is continuing with his schedule and plans to meet with his Russian counterpart about a ceasefire deal in the Black Sea, as well as speak with Trump as usual later in the day.
Democrats on the House Armed Services Committee are calling for Waltz's removal due to the breach, with Rep. Chris Deluzio demanding a full investigation. Rep. Sara Jacobs echoed the call, insisting that those responsible should be held accountable.
Editor of The Atlantic was involved in a group chat of national security
Waltz also clarified to colleagues that he has never had any contact with The Atlantic's editor-in-chief, Jeffrey Goldberg.
Meanwhile, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt issued a statement on Tuesday, acknowledging that the message chain mentioned in The Atlantic's report appeared authentic but emphasized that no classified material or war plans were involved. Leavitt also addressed concerns about how Goldberg’s number ended up in the thread, explaining that the White House is looking into the incident.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also criticized The Atlantic's article, defending the integrity of the situation and dismissing claims that the text chain involved any discussions of war plans. He accused Goldberg of being a "deceitful and highly discredited journalist."
Goldberg, appearing on MSNBC, discussed the content of the text chain and highlighted Vice President JD Vance’s strong disagreement with Trump. Goldberg also pointed out that the discussion in the chat appeared to focus on European involvement in the strikes on the Houthis. He added that military personnel must adhere strictly to cybersecurity rules, emphasizing the severity of mishandling sensitive information.
Mike Waltz admits signal chat mistake as Trump targets Law firm linked to Mueller probe
National Security Advisor Mike Waltz has taken full responsibility for mistakenly adding journalist Jeffrey Goldberg to a Signal group chat discussing a planned U.S. attack on Yemen. Waltz admitted the error during an appearance on Fox News, stating that he had intended to add someone else but inadvertently included Goldberg. He emphasized that no staffer was responsible for the mistake and that it was an unfortunate mix-up. Despite the controversy, Waltz reassured the public that they are addressing the issue and moving forward.
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump has issued a new executive order targeting the law firm Jenner & Block due to its connections to Robert Mueller’s investigation of Trump’s 2016 campaign. The order threatens to revoke the firm's security clearances and terminate its federal contracts. This follows similar actions against other firms linked to the Mueller probe, such as Covington & Burling and Perkins Coie. Last week, Paul Weiss complied with Trump’s demands by agreeing to provide $40 million in free legal services to causes supported by the administration. The firm also pledged to eliminate any diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies.