Defense Secretary Hegseth Addresses Yemen Text Scandal, Denies Sharing War Plans

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth insisted that sensitive ‘war plans’ were not discussed in a Signal chat group that included journalist Jeffrey Goldberg. The group inadvertently raised national security concerns among Trump administration officials. Hegseth criticized Goldberg’s credibility, and there are discussions about consequences for officials involved, particularly Mike Waltz.

In his first comments following the Yemen strike group text scandal, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth asserted that no sensitive “war plans” were shared in a Signal chat group inadvertently including journalist Jeffrey Goldberg. Hegseth stated, “Nobody was texting war plans and that’s all I have to say about that,” addressing concerns over a breach of national security involving key Trump administration officials.

Goldberg, editor of The Atlantic, was mistakenly added to a Signal group chat on March 11 where discussions about airstrikes against Houthi terrorists took place. The group included Hegseth, Vice President JD Vance, and National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, with the airstrikes occurring shortly after on March 15. White House National Security Council spokesperson Brian Hughes confirmed the authenticity of messages reported by Goldberg and mentioned a review of the incident is underway.

During his remarks, Hegseth criticized Goldberg’s credibility, deeming him a deceitful journalist who often spreads misinformation. He referenced cases involving debunked claims regarding the 2016 presidential campaign and President Trump’s comments on various controversial topics to further debunk Goldberg’s integrity. Hegseth asserted, “So this is a guy that pedals in garbage, this is what he does,” before attempting to steer the conversation back to military actions against Houthi terrorists in Yemen.

Goldberg claims he was invited to the Signal chat, reportedly named “Houthi PC small group,” shortly after connecting with Waltz. Meanwhile, concerns grow regarding Waltz’s position as a senior Trump administration official stated that maintaining such conversations on Signal was reckless. Discussions regarding potential consequences for Waltz are ongoing among staffers, with some suggesting he may not survive the fallout from this incident.

Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt reassured that President Trump maintains full confidence in his national security team, including Mike Waltz. As of now, the White House has not commented further on this incident.

In summary, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has denied any discussion of sensitive war plans in a Signal chat group that included a journalist from The Atlantic, asserting the conversations were improperly represented. The inclusion of Jeffrey Goldberg has raised serious national security concerns, and there are ongoing discussions about accountability within the Trump administration regarding National Security Adviser Mike Waltz’s actions. The situation has highlighted issues surrounding communication protocols in high-stakes environments and the accountability of officials following security breaches.

Original Source: nypost.com