President Trump said Wednesday that the Signal messaging app might not work properly. His top security officials used the app to discuss a Houthi strike, but Trump suggested it could be “defective.” He spoke after signing an order to put a 25% tax on foreign cars. Trump defended Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and national security adviser Mike Waltz, saying the messaging app might be the real problem. “I don’t know that Signal works. I think Signal could be defective,” he told reporters in the Oval Office. He added that the government needs to find out if the app is reliable. Signal is being blamed for the issue.

CIA Director Defends Signal While Explaining How Leak Happened

CIA Director John Ratcliffe was part of the leaked chat. He told the Senate Intelligence Committee that Signal is approved for work use. The app uses encryption to secure messages. Signal says there are no known security problems. The leak happened when Waltz accidentally added journalist Jeffrey Goldberg to the chat. The group was named “Houthi PC Small Group.” The Atlantic published a screenshot of the messages. Trump said the media is making the story bigger than it is. “The press up-plays it. I think it’s all a witch hunt,” he said. “I wasn’t there. But I can tell you the result is unbelievable.” Also, Waltz didn’t do anything on purpose, so Signal is blamed.

Trump Stands by Waltz and Dismisses Calls for Resignation

Some people want Waltz to resign over the mistake. Trump defended him and said Waltz took responsibility. “I always thought it was Mike,” Trump said. But he also praised the attack’s success. Reporters asked Trump if Hegseth should be fired. Trump said, “Hegseth had nothing to do with this.” The leaked messages showed that Hegseth had shared details about the attack. The Atlantic first did not publish those messages but later released more texts. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt refused to say if anyone will be fired. She said Trump still supports his security team. As such, Signal appears to be the reason for the mishap being blamed.

Trump Says Houthi Strike Was a Success Despite the Leak

Trump said the attack on the Houthis was successful. “They’ve got to stop,” he said. He believes the Houthis now want peace. “The Houthis want peace cause they’re getting the hell knocked out of them,” he added. He said the militants were “knocking ships out of the ocean” before the attack. Reporters have asked Signal for a comment, but the company has not responded yet. Many believe that the Signal messaging app is being blamed.