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4w ago

Trump Officials Face Senate Scrutiny Over Signal Chat Security Breach

DNI Tulsi Gabbard and CIA Director John Ratcliffe deny sharing classified information in a group chat discussing Yemen airstrikes, while Democratic senators demand accountability and transparency.

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Tulsi Gabbard, director of National Intelligence, left, and John Ratcliffe, director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), during a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing in Washington, DC, US, on Tuesday, March 25, 2025. Intelligence leaders are testifying publicly before the committee on worldwide threats, before moving to a closed session. Photographer: Kent Nishimura/Bloomberg
FBI Director Kash Patel, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and Central Intelligence Agency Director John Ratcliffe during a Senate Committee on Intelligence Hearing on March 25, 2025.

Overview

  • During a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing, Gabbard and Ratcliffe repeatedly denied sharing classified material but refused to confirm key details, citing an ongoing National Security Council review.
  • The Signal chat, which mistakenly included journalist Jeffrey Goldberg, reportedly discussed sensitive military plans, including targets, weapons, and timing for Yemen airstrikes.
  • Democratic senators criticized the use of Signal for discussing sensitive operations, calling it a security lapse and demanding the release of the chat contents to verify claims of no classified information.
  • CIA Director Ratcliffe acknowledged that pre-decisional strike deliberations should occur through classified channels, contradicting earlier defenses of the chat's appropriateness.
  • The White House defended the officials involved, asserting no classified material was shared, but admitted the inclusion of a journalist in the chat was a significant error.