US National Security Adviser Mike Waltz takes full responsibility for accidentally including The Atlantic editor in chat group discussing military strikes against the Houthis in Yemen: “I built the group. My job is to make sure everything’s coordinated.”
US National Security Adviser Mike Waltz took full responsibility on Tuesday for accidentally including The Atlantic magazine’s editor-in-chief, Jeffrey Goldberg, in a Signal chat group discussing military strikes against the Houthis in Yemen.
“Well, look, a staffer wasn’t responsible,” Waltz told Fox News’ Laura Ingraham during his first media interview since the incident. Goldberg had revealed on Monday that he was inadvertently added to the Trump administration’s internal discussions about the March 15 strikes in Yemen.
“Look, I take full responsibility,” Waltz said. “I built the group. My job is to make sure everything’s coordinated.”
Ingraham pressed Waltz on why Goldberg’s number was in his phone to begin with. Waltz responded that he didn’t know how Goldberg’s contact came to be on his phone.
“Have you ever had somebody’s contact that shows their name and then you have somebody else’s number there?” Waltz began. “So, of course, I didn’t see this loser in the group,” he added, referring to Goldberg, who has been a frequent critic of President Donald Trump. “It looked like someone else.”
Waltz went on to say, “Now, whether he did it deliberately or it happened by some other technical means is something we’re trying to figure out.”
Describing the incident as “embarrassing,” Waltz assured the public that the White House would “get to the bottom of it.”
“I’m not a conspiracy theorist, but of all the people out there, somehow this guy who has lied about the president, who has lied to Gold Star families, lied to their attorneys, and gone to Russia hoax, gone to just all kinds of lengths to lie and smear the president of the United States, and he’s the one that somehow gets on somebody’s contact and then gets sucked into this group,” Waltz lamented.
President Donald Trump, speaking earlier on Tuesday, offered support for Waltz.
“Michael Waltz has learned a lesson, and he’s a good man,” Trump said in a phone interview with NBC News.
Asked about how Goldberg ended up in the Signal chat, Trump explained, “It was one of Michael’s people on the phone. A staffer had his number on there.”
Trump also downplayed any concerns, stating that Goldberg’s presence in the chat had “no impact at all” on the military operation.
He expressed confidence in his team and described the incident as “the only glitch in two months, and it turned out not to be a serious one.”
Earlier on Tuesday, Politico reported that the incident has triggered debate within the administration, with discussions underway about Waltz’s future. The report added that Trump will ultimately decide whether Waltz remains in his position.US National Security Adviser Mike Waltz took full responsibility on Tuesday for accidentally including The Atlantic magazine’s editor-in-chief, Jeffrey Goldberg, in a Signal chat group discussing military strikes against the Houthis in Yemen.
“Well, look, a staffer wasn’t responsible,” Waltz told Fox News’ Laura Ingraham during his first media interview since the incident. Goldberg had revealed on Monday that he was inadvertently added to the Trump administration’s internal discussions about the March 15 strikes in Yemen.
“Look, I take full responsibility,” Waltz said. “I built the group. My job is to make sure everything’s coordinated.”
Ingraham pressed Waltz on why Goldberg’s number was in his phone to begin with. Waltz responded that he didn’t know how Goldberg’s contact came to be on his phone.
“Have you ever had somebody’s contact that shows their name and then you have somebody else’s number there?” Waltz began. “So, of course, I didn’t see this loser in the group,” he added, referring to Goldberg, who has been a frequent critic of President Donald Trump. “It looked like someone else.”
Waltz went on to say, “Now, whether he did it deliberately or it happened by some other technical means is something we’re trying to figure out.”
Describing the incident as “embarrassing,” Waltz assured the public that the White House would “get to the bottom of it.”
“I’m not a conspiracy theorist, but of all the people out there, somehow this guy who has lied about the president, who has lied to Gold Star families, lied to their attorneys, and gone to Russia hoax, gone to just all kinds of lengths to lie and smear the president of the United States, and he’s the one that somehow gets on somebody’s contact and then gets sucked into this group,” Waltz lamented.
President Donald Trump, speaking earlier on Tuesday, offered support for Waltz.
“Michael Waltz has learned a lesson, and he’s a good man,” Trump said in a phone interview with NBC News.
Asked about how Goldberg ended up in the Signal chat, Trump explained, “It was one of Michael’s people on the phone. A staffer had his number on there.”
Trump also downplayed any concerns, stating that Goldberg’s presence in the chat had “no impact at all” on the military operation.
He expressed confidence in his team and described the incident as “the only glitch in two months, and it turned out not to be a serious one.”
Earlier on Tuesday, Politico reported that the incident has triggered debate within the administration, with discussions underway about Waltz’s future. The report added that Trump will ultimately decide whether Waltz remains in his position.
One official told Politico that opinions are divided, with some arguing that Waltz’s mistake is too serious for him to continue in his role. “Half of them saying he’s never going to survive or shouldn’t survive,” the official said. Two senior aides have suggested that Waltz should step down to prevent the president from being put in a difficult position.
Despite the controversy, the White House has not yet moved against Waltz. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt issued a statement affirming that President Trump continues to have confidence in his national security team. However, internal pressure remains for Waltz to take responsibility, possibly leading to his resignation.
