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4w ago

Trump Officials Face Scrutiny Over Signal Leak as Fentanyl Crisis Takes Center Stage

A Senate Intelligence hearing highlighted drug cartel threats and a Signal group chat breach involving military plans, now under investigation by the National Security Council.

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, center, is flanked by FBI Director Kash Patel, left, and CIA Director John Ratcliffe, as the Senate Intelligence Committee holds its worldwide threats hearing, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, March 25, 2025. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
CIA Director John Ratcliffe, joined at center by Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, testifies as the Senate Intelligence Committee holds its worldwide threats hearing, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, March 25, 2025. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
From left, FBI Director Kash Patel, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, and Defense Intelligence Agency Director Jeffrey Kruse, appear before the Senate Intelligence Committee for a hearing on worldwide threats, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, March 25, 2025. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
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Overview

  • Top intelligence officials testified before the Senate Intelligence Committee, emphasizing the threat posed by Mexican drug cartels and their role in fentanyl trafficking.
  • The cartels, sourcing precursor chemicals from China and India, are the primary suppliers of illegal fentanyl in the U.S., contributing to over 54,000 deaths in a yearlong period ending October 2024.
  • A security breach involving leaked U.S. military strike plans via a Signal group chat, which included a journalist, has raised concerns about operational security.
  • Officials involved in the Signal group chat, including CIA Director John Ratcliffe and DNI Tulsi Gabbard, denied sharing classified information; the incident is under investigation by the National Security Council.
  • Democratic lawmakers criticized the breach as reckless and called for resignations, while the administration continues to focus on border security and combating transnational criminal networks.