3 days ago
7
President Donald Trump has said National Security Adviser Mike Waltz 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 discussing upcoming military action.
During an interview with Newsmax on Tuesday night, Trump attempted to shift the blame towards an unnamed “lower level” White House employee instead, despite Waltz himself saying he takes “full responsibility” for the disaster.
The administration has been under fire since it emerged on Monday that senior officials, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Vice President JD Vance, reportedly discussed a highly-sensitive operation targeting Houthi positions in Yemen.
Trump claims ‘billionaires on the left’ partly to blame for violence against Tesla
Also in last night’s interview with Greg Kelly on the conservative cable news channel, the president agreed that George Soros and his ilk were “probably involved” in the spate of arson attacks on Elon Musk’s Tesla dealerships in recent weeks, without offering any evidence for the claim whatsoever.
Joe Sommerlad26 March 2025 09:10
Top story: Trump shifts blame for Signalgate texts onto ‘lower level’ mystery employee
Good morning!
Donald Trump has shifted the blame for a major security blunder in which details of U.S. military operations in Yemen were leaked to a journalist on a secret group chat to an unidentified “lower level” White House employee that worked for his National Security Adviser Michael Waltz.
Trump offered the new theory in an interview on Newsmax Tuesday evening on how Jeffrey Goldberg, editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, ended up on the Signal group chat in which the top-secret plans were discussed.
“What it was, we believe, is somebody that was on the line with permission, somebody that was with Mike Waltz, worked for Mike Waltz at a lower level, had, I guess, Goldberg's number or called through the app, and somehow this guy ended up on the call,” the president said.
Uh huh.
Here’s more from Mike Bedigan.
Joe Sommerlad26 March 2025 08:50
The Signal chat blunder has shaken Washington. Except in the White House where it’s brushed off
One day after the revelation of a shocking security breach from top Trump administration officials, the White House is digging in and hoping it can convince Americans to dismiss the unprecedented lapse as media-driven partisan squabbling even as Democrats are calling for resignations.
Eric Garcia, on Capitol Hill, and Andrew Feinberg, at the White House, filed this report.
Oliver O'Connell26 March 2025 08:30
Can Jeffrey Goldberg legally release the Signal messages he received?
Editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, Jeffrey Goldberg, released excerpts of the conversation among national security officials on the messaging app Signal after he was accidentally added to the group chat — exercising a right to publish that has sparked controversy among Trump administration officials.
Ariana Baio takes a look at the legal questions that have arisen.
Oliver O'Connell26 March 2025 08:00
FBI launches task force to investigate threats on Musk’s Tesla company
FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed reports that a task force dedicated to investigating the spate of attacks against Elon Musk’s electric vehicle company, Tesla, has been established with the former prosecutor promising to root out “domestic terrorism.”
According to NBC News, at least 80 attacks have been reported against Tesla vehicles since Musk began gutting the federal government through his Department of Government Efficiency in January.
James Liddell reports.
Oliver O'Connell26 March 2025 07:30
Is Signal secure? Worries raised after airstrikes group chat debacle
Gustaf Kilander reports.
Oliver O'Connell26 March 2025 06:30
Top Democrat calls for Hegseth and Waltz to resign and shreds Gabbard over Signal war talk leak
During a hearing Tuesday, committee vice chair Mark Warner grilled intelligence director Tulsi Gabbard and slammed national security adviser Mike Waltz and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth after they failed to conduct “security hygiene 101” without realizing The Atlantic’s editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg was included in the text chain.
Alex Woodward watched the hearing.
Oliver O'Connell26 March 2025 05:30
X loses Community Notes correcting the Pentagon’s claims about the Yemen text leaks
Rhian Lubin investigates.
Oliver O'Connell26 March 2025 04:30
Citing ‘state secrets’, Trump admin refuses to answer judge’s questions over deportation flights
Judge James Boasberg had ordered government attorneys to answer a series of questions — including when those planes left the United States and entered El Salvador — to determine whether administration officials intentionally defied his court orders, which were delivered in court and in filings hours before the planes landed March 15.
For more than a week, the judge has pushed the administration for answers and extended deadlines for a response.
But in a late-night filing Monday, Trump administration officials and government lawyers said “no further information will be provided”.
Alex Woodward explains what is happening.
Oliver O'Connell26 March 2025 03:30
ICYMI: CNN airs brutal montage of Trump officials from Signal chat condemning Hillary Clinton
CNN aired a montage of Trump administration officials embroiled in the Signal chat saga repeatedly condemning former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton over her use of a private email server while in office.
James Liddell has the story.
Oliver O'Connell26 March 2025 02:45
