President Trump characterized a breach involving a Yemen chat as a “glitch” and expressed confidence in his national security team. The incident raised concerns over communication protocols among officials. Top Democrats criticized the use of a commercial app for sensitive discussions, leading to calls for an investigation into the breach.

On Tuesday, U.S. President Donald Trump dismissed the recent breach of a group chat regarding Yemen air strikes, referring to it as a mere “glitch.” Despite the concern raised by the incident, he expressed confidence in his national security team, particularly defending his National Security Advisor, Mike Waltz. This breach came to light following a report from The Atlantic magazine’s editor-in-chief, Jeffrey Goldberg, regarding discussions on the Signal messaging app.

The conversation included remarks about operations targeting Iran-backed Huthi rebels and featured high-ranking officials such as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Vice President JD Vance. In an interview, President Trump characterized the breach as an isolated incident, stating, “this was the only glitch in two months, and it turned out not to be a serious one.” He added that Waltz is competent and capable of learning from the mistake.

Goldberg noted that he received an unexpected connection request from an individual identified as Michael Waltz, to which Trump clarified that it was a staff member linked to Waltz. In response to the breach, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt affirmed that no classified information was shared and dismissed Goldberg’s claims as sensationalist.

Top Democrats have criticized the use of a commercial app for sensitive communications, calling the breach potentially illegal and demanding an investigation. Leavitt stated that the White House Counsel’s Office is reviewing communication protocols among senior officials. Additionally, the White House is currently examining how Goldberg’s contact information was inserted into the chat.

Trump announced military actions against the Huthis on March 15, while, according to Goldberg, he received prior communications regarding the strikes through the group chat. Key officials, including Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and CIA Director John Ratcliffe, are scheduled to address this issue during a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing, and it is expected to be a topic of discussion.

Goldberg’s reports indicated that he was aware of details concerning the strikes two days prior, although he refrained from disclosing any sensitive information. However, the leaked chat provided insights into the perspectives of senior officials regarding global allies, where participants raised concerns over European nations’ perceived reluctance to contribute adequately to regional security efforts, asserting that the United States shoulders a disproportionate responsibility.

In conclusion, President Trump characterized the recent breach of a group chat about Yemen as a minor “glitch,” asserting that it posed no serious ramifications. The incident reveals potential vulnerabilities in communication practices among top officials and has sparked criticism from Democratic leaders regarding the appropriateness of using commercial messaging applications for sensitive discussions. The situation continues to evolve as investigations into the breach are conducted.

Original Source: www.rfi.fr

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