 "Mike Waltz facing calls for resignation after mistakenly including journalist in secret war chat")
The Donald Trump administration was caught in the middle of a rather embarrassing internal controversy on Monday (March 24).
It was revealed that national security adviser Mike Waltz had unwittingly added a prominent journalist to a private group chat discussing US military action against the Houthi rebels in Yemen.
The encrypted Signal thread, reportedly used by top administration figures to coordinate plans for a strike on Houthi targets, was compromised when Atlantic editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg was mistakenly included in the chat.
What happened?
The chat, titled “ Houthi PC small group ”, included top national security figures such as Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, Vice President JD Vance, and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard.
The discussion revealed not only strategic details but also internal dissent over the timing and potential consequences of further military action.
Goldberg, according to The Atlantic, received an unexpected Signal invitation from “Mike Waltz” on March 11. Shortly after, he found himself added to the chat where officials were weighing sensitive policy decisions, including deliberations over targeting and messaging.
Waltz faces the heat
The blunder has triggered calls for Waltz’s resignation.
Politico, citing multiple White House sources, reported that furious discussions have erupted within the administration over whether he should be forced to resign to avoid further political embarrassment for President Trump. “Half of them saying he’s never going to survive or shouldn’t survive,” one official was quoted as saying.
The mishap has emboldened Waltz’s critics, particularly within the pro-Trump “America First” wing of the GOP, who have long viewed him with suspicion due to his neoconservative background and past work advising former vice president Dick Cheney.
A person close to the White House delivered an especially blunt judgement: “Everyone in the White House can agree on one thing: Mike Waltz is a f****ng idiot.”
Impact Shorts
More ShortsSome within the administration believe that Waltz may end up shouldering the blame for the broader leak, though others have suggested Hegseth– who allegedly shared sensitive details– could also face consequences.
Republican lawmakers on Capitol Hill appeared split. While some expressed outrage over the breach, others rallied behind Waltz, who previously served in Congress. House Speaker Mike Johnson dismissed calls for his resignation. “He’s exceptionally qualified for the job,” Johnson said.
Trump to make a decision soon?
For now, the White House is standing by its embattled adviser. Press secretary Karoline Leavitt issued a statement on Monday expressing Trump’s “utmost confidence” in Waltz and his national security team.
Yet insiders suggest Trump remains unsettled by the public exposure of what was supposed to be a tightly held military plan.
A source familiar with the situation said Trump had personally spoken with Waltz about the matter and could ultimately be swayed by how the story plays in the media over the next 48 hours.
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