Speaker Johnson on Signal scandal

Speaker Johnson: "Well, look, the White House issued a statement. I think within the last hour, someone handed me what they said. They clarified that no war plans were discussed. No classified material was sent in that thread. The White House counsel is looking into the matter, investigating how this other number was inadvertently added. Obviously, that was a mistake and a serious one. But I just want to say, thanks to President Trump and his strong leadership and to everyone. Everyone in that group chat, the leaders of that group chat, are extraordinary people. I know them all personally. They are patriots. They are doing a great job for the country. And that was a successful mission. I mean, we are taking out Houthi terrorists. That is what the American people expect from the administration—to restore peace through strength and act decisively.

So look, they have acknowledged that there was a mistake, and they are correcting it. And I would have asked the same of the Biden administration. I don't think anyone should have lost their job over it because a wrong number, you know, found its way into a dialogue between leaders. It’s a mistake, but we have to correct it moving forward, and they will. Obviously, we have to be careful with these things, and I know they will be. I mean, Mike Waltz is a colleague of mine, a former colleague, and he was born for the job. He is highly qualified. The president said he has full confidence in him."

On March 11, 2025, Jeffrey Goldberg, editor-in-chief of The Atlantic magazine, was mistakenly added to a group chat that included high-ranking government officials such as Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, and National Security Advisor Michael Waltz. Unaware of Goldberg's presence, the officials discussed classified military operations against the Houthis in Yemen, sharing sensitive details such as targets, weaponry, and attack sequences. The identity of an undercover CIA agent was even mentioned. The leak came to light on March 24, when Goldberg published an article revealing the incident.

This event has raised concerns about information security practices within the government. While Signal is valued for its encryption features, cybersecurity experts have questioned its use due to potential vulnerabilities, especially when accessed from personal devices.

The White House has acknowledged the mistake and launched an investigation to determine how the leak occurred and to prevent future incidents. Elon Musk has been appointed to collaborate on the investigation. Meanwhile, members of Congress, including Republican senators, have called for a broader inquiry into the administration's handling of classified information.