Trump's military plans fall into the hands of a journalist: a scandal in Washington that could lead to Waltz's dismissal
Kyiv • UNN
The editor of The Atlantic was accidentally added to a chat with plans to attack the Houthis. Congress is outraged, advisor Waltz is threatened with resignation due to the leak.
In Congress, security breaches were criticised after the editor of The Atlantic reported that he had been accidentally included in a group chat involving senior officials. This also sparked a heated debate in the White House: an investigation has been launched and there is even talk that national security adviser Mike Waltz should be fired.
UNN reports with reference to FT, CBC News, Newsweek and POLITICO.
Stunning discovery: on Monday, the White House said it was investigating how the editor-in-chief of The Atlantic magazine was accidentally added to a group text message in which people resembling members of President Donald Trump's administration discussed plans for airstrikes against Houthi militants in Yemen.
Context
In an article published on Monday, Jeffrey Goldberg, editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, recounted how he was, he said, accidentally added to a group chat that included national security adviser Mike Waltz, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Vice President Jay D. Vance and others in the encrypted messaging app Signal earlier this month.
According to Goldberg, Hegseth detailed plans to bomb Houthi targets in Yemen in the chat.
Concerns in the US House of Representatives
Law enforcement agencies are silent for now, but outrage has been expressed in the US Congress. Several congressmen criticised the security breaches. In particular, Democrats have taken a tougher stance on how this should be handled during the investigation that has already begun.
The negligence demonstrated by President Trump's cabinet is appalling and dangerous. I will be seeking answers from the administration immediately
This is definitely a concern, and it looks like mistakes were made. There will probably be secret briefings on this soon
Will Volz be fired?
Now the future of US National Security Advisor Volz is in question, the media write.
A senior administration official reported talks with other administration staff about "what to do with Waltz" after it became known:
A top aide to the US president inadvertently included the editor-in-chief of the Atlantic in a private chat where they discussed a military strike on the Houthis.
Two senior White House aides have suggested that Waltz should resign to prevent the president from being in a "bad position".
It was unwise to have this conversation on Signal. You can't allow recklessness in the position of national security advisor
A third person familiar with the fallout said that Trump spoke with Volz about the issue - and the White House is supporting him for now.
President Trump continues to have great confidence in his national security team, including National Security Advisor Mike Waltz
A fourth White House official said they were aware of internal pressure on Volz to admit his mistake.
This may mean a possible resignation.
Reaction of the US Secretary of Defense
US Secretary of Defence Pete Hagel denies leaking military plans via a chat room joined by Jeffrey Goldberg. Hagel made his denial while in Hawaii, where he is holding official events, including meetings with civilian and military leaders of the Indo-Pacific Command.
Can you tell us how your information about military plans against the Houthis in Yemen was passed to journalists and The Atlantic, and whether these details were classified?
So I'm talking about a lying and utterly discredited so-called journalist who has made a profession of selling hoaxes over and over again, including, I don't know, the Russia hoax... This is a guy who peddles rubbish.... No one has corresponded with the military plans, and that's all I can tell you.
I'd like to comment on the campaign against the Houthis through the skill and bravery of our troops. .. President Trump said: "Enough!". We will restore deterrence. We will open up freedom of navigation and ultimately destroy the Houthis, which we are doing now, from the very beginning, overwhelmingly
Recall
According to the NYT, the Pentagon was planning to brief Elon Musk on plans for a war with China. Trump and the Pentagon leadership denied the information, calling it fake.
