Thursday, July 31, 2025

US Senators to grill Trump officials over war plan leak

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US senators are set to question President Donald Trump’s top intelligence officials on Tuesday after revelations that highly sensitive war plans were discussed on a commercial messaging app chat, which also included a journalist. The disclosure has sparked outrage among Democrats and national security experts.Jeffrey Goldberg, editor-in-chief of The Atlantic , reported on Monday that he was unexpectedly added on 13 March to an encrypted Signal chat group called the “Houthi PC small group.” The group was reportedly coordinating US actions against Yemen’s Houthi rebels following their attacks on Red Sea shipping.
National Security Council spokesperson Brian Hughes said the chat group appeared to be authentic. The White House announced it was investigating how Goldberg’s number was included in the thread.
Democrats and some Republicans have called for an investigation into what appears to be a major security breach. Classified and sensitive information is prohibited from being shared on commercial mobile apps, and unknown numbers — such as Goldberg’s — should not have been added.“The administration is playing fast and loose with our nation’s most classified info, and it makes all Americans less safe,” Senator Mark Warner, the Democratic vice chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said in a statement.

Also read: Trump may sack NSA Mike Waltz after military chat leak

The Senate Intelligence Committee will question two administration officials involved in the chat – Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and CIA Director John Ratcliffe – during its annual hearing on Worldwide Threats to US Security.

Senator Tom Cotton, the Republican chairman of the panel, said the issue would likely be addressed. “I’m confident that this group chat story from yesterday’s news will come up today at the hearing, and that John Ratcliffe, Tulsi Gabbard and the other leaders will have a chance to address it,” Cotton said during an interview on Fox News.

“But I do hope that we keep the focus on the decisive action that the president took against these outlaw rebels in Yemen who are backed, let’s remember, by Iran,” Cotton added.

Calls for Accountability

Representative Jim Himes, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, said he would also pursue the matter during the committee’s Worldwide Threats hearing on Wednesday.

“The American people deserve answers, and I plan to get some on Wednesday at the Intelligence Committee’s Worldwide Threats hearing,” he said in a statement.

Some Democrats have called for officials involved in the chat to lose their security clearances or resign. However, there has been no immediate word on whether any officials will face consequences.

White House officials and some Republicans have instead pointed to the successful execution of the attack on the Houthis as evidence of effective leadership.

Trump launched a campaign of large-scale military strikes against Yemen’s Houthi rebels on 15 March, following their attacks on Red Sea shipping. He also issued a warning to Iran, the Houthis’ main backer, demanding an immediate halt to its support for the group.

Hours before the strikes began, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth reportedly shared operational details in the Signal chat group that included Goldberg. According to Goldberg, the details included information about targets, the weapons to be deployed, and the sequencing of the attack. While Goldberg omitted these details in his report, he described the use of the Signal chat as “shockingly reckless.”

The chat group reportedly included accounts appearing to represent Vice President JD Vance, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Ratcliffe, Gabbard, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, and senior National Security Council officials.

Also read: ‘Dangerous level of incompetence’: Outrage after Trump administration accidentally leaks war plans



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