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
Politico, citing people aware of the matter, claimed that Mike Waltz, the US national security advisor, and his team had created more secret Signal chat groups. Trending | World
Just as the US security establishment is recovering from blowback over the leak of a Signal chat detailing Yemen attack plans, a report claimed that at least 20 more such chat groups may have existed.Politico, citing people aware of the matter, claimed in a report on Wednesday (Apr 3) that Mike Waltz, the US national security advisor, and his team had created these Signal chat groups to discuss major national security matters, possibly sharing classified information.
This comes days after the chats on the March 15 Yemen attack got leaked after a journalist of The Atlantic Magazine was inadvertently added to the chat group. Jeffrey Goldberg, the editor of The Atlantic, later published the entire chat after government officials denied any compromising national security information was shared.
The leak, dubbed 'Signalgate,' disproved the US officials' claims. No action has been taken so far on any of the officials in the chat group, who included Tulsi Gabbard, the Director of National Intelligence.
What did the Politico report claim?
The report alleged that Signal, an encrypted message app, was heavily relied upon for coordinating national security matters and crises around the world.
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The issues on which chat groups were created included the Russia-Ukraine war, Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, China threat, US Middle East policy, and security matters related to Africa and Europe.
Yemen war chat leak: Trump White House scrambles to handle SignalGate fallout
Who were added to the secret chat groups?
The Politico report claimed that members of President Donald Trump's cabinet and some senior staff were added in these groups.
Such groups, as per the report, is a widespread practice within the National Security Council (NSC).
Was classified information shared in 20 other Signal chat groups?
Four sources that spoke to Politico said 'sensitive information' was discussed frequently in these chats. It is not clear if any classified material was shared.
But one has to remember that the Yemen attack chat indeed included operational details - strike plan, planes and weapons used, and attack sequence. Some of this is indeed classified information, as per experts.
‘Green light on Yemen raid!’ SNL mocks Trump administration Signal chat leak scandal | WATCH
“It was commonplace to stand up chats on any given national security topic,” claimed one source.
'Waltz built the entire NSC communications process on Signal'
That's what one source told Politico. This, if true, means the Signal chat route is not an ad hoc step taken only to discuss the Yemen attack but a standard practice in the NSC.
The article claimed that the practice may have begun even before Trump took office. It started during the transition period and continued at least till Signalgate.
After the Signalgate happened, the Trump administration officials and the White House went into denial mode first, and then resorted to downplaying the seriousness of the issue.
There are now calls from both Republican and Democrat politicians for investigating potential security risks.
Who could have been added to the other 20 Signal chats?
It is not clear from the Politico report as to who all were added into the other alleged Signal chat groups. But it could very well be the same members who were present in the Yemen attack chat, or more. The Houthi attack chat group included US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Vice President JD Vance.
In the Yemen attack chat, Hegseth shared specific names of aircraft, missiles, targetted terrorists, and the timing of the strike, hours before it actually happened.
Waltz also shared real-time updates on the operation.
Later, speaking to Fox News, Waltz had taken “full responsibility” for the “embarrassing” mistakes, even as he insisted no claffified information was shared. This was the same stance taken by Trump and his officials in the Signalgate aftermath while playing up the success of the March 15 attack.
(With inputs from agencies)
