Senior US official unintentionally included a journalist in a group chat discussing military strategy, sparking a fierce debate within the White House over whether National Security Adviser Mike Waltz should be fired, according to Politico.
A final decision has yet to be made, and aides have warned that President Donald Trump will ultimately determine Waltz’s future in the coming days.
Waltz accidentally added The Atlantic editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg to a private Signal chat room where a potential strike against the Houthis was discussed. According to The Atlantic, Goldberg received Signal’s invitation from Mike Waltz on 11 March and was then added to a group called the “Houthi PC small group.”
The group included top officials such as Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, Vice President JD Vance, and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard.
While some officials suggested Waltz resign to save President Trump from further political damage, others questioned Waltz’s competence as national security adviser. However, a third insider said that Trump had spoken to Walz about the leak and that the White House supported him.
The president retains full confidence in his national security team, including Adviser Waltz.
The leak also reignited criticism from Waltz’s longtime detractors. On social media, some wondered why Waltz had Goldberg’s number at all.
Some lawmakers expressed anxiety as well. Representative Don Bacon (Nebraska Republican) of the Armed Services Committee called the transmission of confidential material on an unsecured platform “unconscionable.” Meanwhile, committee chair Senator Roger Wicker (Republican from Mississippi) said the issue was “concerning” and warranted scrutiny.
Many Republicans, however, are hopeful that Waltz will survive the scandal. House Speaker Mike Johnson said Waltz should “absolutely not” leave, praising him as “exceptionally qualified, trustworthy, and made for the role.”
