To understand how a journalist ended up in an Ultra-Privé group discussion in which high-ranking members of the Trump-planned attacks discussed against the Yemeni Houthi rebels, we have to return to the American election campaign.
The editor -in -chief of The AtlanticJeffrey Goldberg, contacted the Trump campaign in October 2024. He wanted a reaction to a story that appeared then. The e-mail that Goldberg had sent was then sent to Brian Hughes. He was then the spokesperson for Donald Tump. The complete means of that e -mail – with the contact details of Goldberg – was then forwarded to Mike Walz. The latter is now the national security adviser of the United States.
Read too. Trump continues with purification at intelligence services: “This makes us all less safe”
According to the White House, Waltz accidentally saved the number when the algorithm of his iPhone suggested an update of an existing contact, in this case that of Hughes. But not the number of Hughes was stored, but that of Goldberg. And so, according to the White House, Waltz had the wrong information with the wrong song up to and including the Signal conversation in question.
Embarrassing
Months later, on March 13, a Signal group treasure was created with the name ‘Houthi PC Small Group’. Waltz thought he had added Brian Hughes to the chat, but due to the error when saving, he added the journalist to the chat. Waltz does not deny that. “I made the group,” Waltz told Fox News, adding that it was “embarrassing”.
Trump accepted the Mea Culpa of Waltz and has publicly defended him in recent weeks since the situation around the group chat was made public.
In that group, attacks on Houthis were discussed. “I could not believe that the management of the National Security of the United States on Signal would communicate about impending war plans,” Goldberg wrote in an article in which he ends the incident at the end. “I could also not believe that the president’s national security adviser would be so reckless to involve the editor -in -chief of The Atlantic in such discussions with high American officials, up to and including the vice president.”
Read too. “Team of safety adviser Mike Waltz would have many more Signal chats”
When Trump left the White House on Thursday, he was accompanied on board Marine One by his staff chief, Susie Wiles, his staff chief, Sergio Gor, and Waltz. That would be according to The Guardian can be conceived as a token of support for the discredited national security adviser.
Waltz also seems to have created some sympathy inside Trump’s circle over the group chat because the White House had approved the use of Signal. There would also be no alternative platform to text in real time between different agencies, according to two people who are familiar with the business on The Guardian.
Previous administrations, including Biden’s, have not developed an alternative platform for Signal, one of the people said. So officials were allowed to use Signal as a temporary solution.
On Thursday it was announced that the US Department of Defense also opened an investigation into the issue.