Representative Jim Himes questioned national security officials regarding a text chat that discussed an imminent military strike on Houthi targets, highlighting security breaches involving classified information. This incident has provoked calls for resignations from key Trump officials and further investigations into the use of unclassified devices for sensitive government communications. Himes demands accountability to ensure compliance with security protocols and prevent future mistakes.

On Wednesday, Representative Jim Himes, serving as the leading Democrat on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, engaged in questioning national security officials, including Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, concerning a sensitive text chat that had surfaced regarding an imminent attack targeting Houthi forces in Yemen. The discussion, previously held in a Senate committee, drew renewed public interest when The Atlantic released a transcript of the conversation for scrutiny.

Himes utilized his position to inquire why secure communication platform Signal was employed by officials for discussing classified military actions and expressed concerns about the presence of a journalist in the chat. He stated, “Everyone here knows that the Russians or the Chinese could have gotten all of that information… I think that it is by the awesome grace of God that we are not mourning dead pilots right now.” Himes emphasized that significant accountability should ensue in light of this serious security breach.

The Connecticut delegation has intensified its response, with multiple Democratic members urging resignations from top Trump officials like Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and pushing for investigatory hearings. Notably, Himes remains the sole member able to directly question the administration on this matter due to his intelligence committee role. Gabbard attempted to mitigate any discrepancies from the day before, asserting a lack of recollection regarding the weapon discussion forwarded by Hegseth.

Himes also challenged Gabbard on classification protocols, specifically concerning the advanced notice of U.S. military actions. He highlighted that such discussions could be classified as top secret, to which Gabbard reaffirmed that the conversation had adhered to the Department of Defense’s classification standards.

Having served on the committee for over a decade, Himes underscored the imperative of protecting intelligence personnel, expressing, “You must protect the thousands of patriots who go to work every day under you to keep us safe.” He adamantly stated the necessity of addressing significant errors during national security proceedings.

Within the Trump administration, officials have frequently downplayed the text chat issue, contending its contents were not classified, as CIA Director Ratcliffe noted, “I used an appropriate channel to communicate sensitive information… what is most important is that the mission was a remarkable success.” Nonetheless, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt acknowledged the administration’s recognition of the mistake and stated steps would be made for future corrections.

On Thursday, bipartisan voices emerged as the Senate Armed Services Committee leadership called for the Pentagon’s inspector general to investigate further. Connecticut Senators Murphy and Blumenthal, alongside other senators, demanded hearings to explore the implications of using unclassified devices for sensitive discussions, given the known vulnerabilities to foreign surveillance.

Calls for Hegseth’s resignation have arisen from multiple Connecticut lawmakers, citing his reckless sharing of military information with a reporter lacking security clearance. U.S. Representative Joe Courtney highlighted that had a military official disclosed such sensitive information, it would have resulted in severe repercussions. Himes has consistently advocated for accountability to prevent a recurrence of such incidents, stating, “Until they start dealing with this like adults, because it was a very serious mistake, this issue is not going away.”

This article originally published by the Connecticut Mirror seeks to outline the implications of the Houthi text chat incident and ongoing demands for accountability from the Trump administration, highlighting the critical need for security protocol adherence in national defense discussions.

Representative Jim Himes has leveraged his position on the House Intelligence Committee to scrutinize a recent security breach involving discussions on an imminent military action against Houthi targets in Yemen. The incident, which involved the use of the communication platform Signal, has led to calls for accountability from various Congressional members, emphasizing the necessity of protecting sensitive national security information. The responses from senior administration officials have sparked further investigations and bipartisan discussions regarding adherence to proper classification and security protocols. Himes and other legislators remain adamant that this oversight must be addressed decisively to restore accountability and prevent future occurrences.

Original Source: www.ctpublic.org

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