Mike Waltz, U.S. National Security Advisor, takes responsibility for a chat leak involving military plans in Yemen by accidentally adding journalist Jeffrey Goldberg to the conversation. President Trump downplays the incident, calling it an isolated glitch, while expressing support for Waltz and emphasizing the need for secure communication methods.

Mike Waltz, the U.S. National Security Advisor, has taken full responsibility for a security breach involving a chat on Signal that included discussions about military actions in Yemen. He acknowledged that he mistakenly added journalist Jeffrey Goldberg, editor of The Atlantic, to the group chat, which comprised 18 senior administration officials. Waltz stated, “I take full responsibility. I built the group; my job is to make sure everything’s coordinated,” during an interview on Fox News.

Despite the incident, President Donald Trump downplayed the severity of the situation, referring to it as “the only glitch in two months” of his presidency. In a discussion with NBC News, Trump noted that the texting of plans regarding military strikes was not a serious issue and continued to express his support for Waltz. Furthermore, Trump indicated that a staff member was likely responsible for Goldberg’s inadvertent inclusion in the chat.

Waltz, unaware of how Goldberg became part of the group, mentioned, “This one in particular, I have never met, don’t know, never communicated with.” He later clarified on Fox News that technical experts were investigating how the journalist’s contact may have been integrated into the chat. Additionally, Trump remarked on the future use of Signal, commenting, “we won’t be using it very much,” and emphasized the importance of secure environments for sensitive discussions.

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, who was part of the chat, mentioned during a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing that she was overseas during the incident. She refrained from disclosing whether she was using a personal or government-issued phone due to an ongoing review by the White House National Security Council.

In summary, Mike Waltz has accepted full responsibility for a significant security breach arising from a chat regarding U.S. military plans for Yemen, marking a notable incident in his advisory role. President Trump has minimized the significance of the lapse while supporting his advisor. Future protocols may shift away from using Signal for sensitive communications as efforts continue to enhance the security of government discussions.

Original Source: www.hindustantimes.com

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