Amidst growing controversy over U.S. government security officials discussing plans for airstrikes on Yemen’s Houthi rebels in a private messenger app, Signal, President Donald Trump defended the discussion on March 25, stating that no confidential information was discussed. During a Q&A with reporters at a White House event, Trump mentioned that, as far as he knew, the information was not classified at the time of the discussion. He emphasized that “nothing happened” and that the attack on the Houthis was “completely successful.”
The incident was deemed not confidential, as the attack was in progress when it was discussed in the chatroom. Trump further mentioned that there was no classified information shared, adding that many government and media personnel use the app. The controversy emerged when Jeffrey Goldberg, editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, was invited to the chatroom and observed the discussions, subsequently reporting on them and raising concerns about the security awareness of the Trump administration’s foreign affairs team.
In an NBC News interview, Trump described the incident as the “only glitch” in the first two months of his administration, stating it was not serious. He also defended National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, suggesting that he had learned from the incident and referred to him as a “good person.”
Signal uses end-to-end encryption, making it difficult for hackers to intercept and understand messages. Unlike other platforms, Signal is controlled by an independent nonprofit. White House and involved parties maintained that no classified information was shared. CIA Director John Ratcliffe, attending a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing, stated the discussions were legal and non-classified. DNI Director Tulsi Gabbard, when asked about her involvement, declined to give specific answers but confirmed that no classified information was shared in the Signal chat. She added that the NSC is reviewing the matter.
The White House released a statement saying that the Democrats and the media seem to have forgotten that President Trump and his national security team successfully eliminated terrorists who targeted U.S. forces and attempted to block vital global trade routes. The statement suggested this was a coordinated effort to distract from Trump’s successful actions.