WASHINGTON – On Wednesday, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard acknowledged it was a “mistake” for national security officials to discuss sensitive military strategies over a group text chain that mistakenly included a journalist. This incident has stirred President Donald Trump’s national security team.
Appearing before the House Intelligence Committee, Gabbard discussed the conversation that contained “candid and sensitive” details about military actions against Houthi rebels in Yemen. Despite this, as Gabbard had assured senators during her testimony on Tuesday, she maintained that the texts did not contain any classified information.
“It was an error that a reporter was inadvertently included,” Gabbard explained.
The primary purpose of Wednesday’s hearing was to review a new report on national security threats to the U.S. Nevertheless, the leaked text chain took center stage. The group included Gabbard, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Vice President JD Vance, and other top officials.
Unexpectedly, Jeffrey Goldberg, the editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, found himself part of this group, and his publication disclosed further details from the conversations on Wednesday, illustrating their in-depth discussion on the strikes.
Democrats are calling for an investigation into this careless communication mishap, suggesting it may have exposed confidential military information that could have endangered the mission and put U.S. service members in jeopardy.
The National Security Council has announced it will investigate the issue, which Trump dismissed on Tuesday as a mere “glitch.” Goldberg noted he received a Signal invitation from Mike Waltz, Trump’s national security adviser, who was in the chat group and has assumed responsibility for the oversight.
Despite the elaborate details on military plans in the texts, Gabbard, Ratcliffe, and the White House insist that none of the details were classified—a claim Democrats rejected outright on Wednesday.
“You all know that’s a lie,” asserted Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-Texas, to Ratcliffe and Gabbard, adding that the determination of what military information is classified lies with the secretary of defense.
Some Democrats on the panel demanded Hegseth’s resignation over the leak.
“This is classified information. It’s a weapon system, and details of the operations,” said Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, a Democrat from Illinois. “He needs to resign immediately.”
Ratcliffe defended the use of Signal as “appropriate” and emphasized that the controversy over the leak should not overshadow the successful military mission against the Houthis.
“What is most important is that the mission was a remarkable success,” he asserted to lawmakers. “That’s what did happen, not what possibly could have happened.”
The exchanges became heated, with Ratcliffe and Democratic lawmakers frequently interrupting each other. At one point, Rep. Jimmy Gomez, an Illinois Democrat, questioned whether Hegseth was consuming alcohol while participating in the chat.
“I think that’s an offensive line of questioning,” Ratcliffe retorted. “The answer is no.”
Both Ratcliffe and Gomez then began shouting over each other as Gomez tried to pursue a follow-up question. “We want to know if his performance is compromised,” Gomez insisted.
The hearing was initially intended to address the intelligence community’s annual report on threats to American national security. The document identifies China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea as strategic adversaries while also recognizing the dangers posed by drug cartels and transnational criminal organizations.
These presentations from top Trump appointees reflect the administration’s foreign policy priorities, which include tackling the flow of fentanyl, illegal immigration, and human trafficking. This comes as Trump seeks to broker a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, three years after Russia’s invasion.