In a major security lapse, US President Donald Trump's National Security Advisor Mike Waltz mistakenly added The Atlantic editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg to a "secret" group chat where the officials were discussing the Houthi attack plan. 

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The huge security error triggered massive criticism from the Democrats, raising questions about security protocols in the US government. 

However, according to an internal investigation, Waltz inadvertently saved Goldberg's phone number under the contact of Deputy National Security Advisor for Strategic Communications Brian Hughes, the Guardian reported. 

Also read: Signal chat row: Pentagon launches probe into Pete Hegseth over leak of sensitive military information

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The Signal group titled "Houthi PC small group" had several Trump officials, including Tulsi Gabbard, Pete Hegseth, Mike Waltz, and mistakenly Goldberg. 

How was the error made?

It all started when The Atlantic editor-in-chief Goldberg emailed the Trump campaign last October, according to a Guardian report. 

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Goldberg emailed the campaign about a story that criticised Trump for his attitude towards wounded service members, three people briefed on the internal investigation said. 

To push back against the story, the campaign enlisted the help of Waltz. Goldberg's email was forwarded to then-Trump spokesperson Brian Hughes, who then copied and pasted the content of the email, including the signature block with Goldberg's phone number into a text message that he sent to Waltz so that he could be briefed on the forthcoming story.

Also read: Not just Yemen attack chat: Did Mike Waltz set up 20 more secret Signal chat groups other than the one that leaked? What report claims 

However, Waltz did not ultimately call Goldberg, the people said, but ended up saving Goldberg's number in his iPhone, under the contact card for Hughes, now the spokesperson for the national security advisor. 

A day after that Goldberg story was published,  Waltz appeared on CNN on October 22, to defend Trump. 

“Don’t take it from me, take it from the 13 Abbey Gate Gold Star families, some of whom stood on a stage in front of a 30,000-person crowd and said how he helped them heal,” Waltz said.

The number was inadvertently saved during a "contact suggestion update" by Waltz's iPhone, which according to one person, is a function where an iPhone algorithm adds a previously unknown number to an existing contact that it detects may be related. 

Also read: Trump reiterates plans to get Greenland, says ‘should not talk about’ Signal chat leak during interview

However, this mistake went unnoticed until last month Waltz sought to add Hughes to the group chat but ended up adding Goldberg's number in that chat. 

After it all went viral, Waltz said that he had never met or communicated with Goldberg, and suggested on Fox News that the editor's number had been "sucked" into his phone. 

The White House has not commented on this yet. When Guardian reached Goldberg on Saturday, he said, "I’m not going to comment on my relationship with Mike Waltz beyond saying I do know him and have spoken to him.”

Also read: ‘Green light on Yemen raid!’ SNL mocks Trump administration Signal chat leak scandal | WATCH

(With inputs from agencies)