Turmoil in Trump's circle as advisor faces security blunder
A crisis is growing in the US involving Mike Waltz, Trump's national security advisor. It was revealed that top administration officials accidentally included a journalist in a group chat where secret war plans were being discussed. A heated debate has begun in the White House about whether Waltz should be forced to step down.
— You can’t have recklessness as the national security adviser, — a White House official said.
Compromise in the Trump administration
No decision has been made at this moment. However, officials emphasize that the final say on this matter will belong to President Trump, who is expected to make a decision in the coming days while monitoring media reports on the scandal.
According to Politico, a high-ranking administration official revealed that talks are ongoing through various communication channels involving White House staff about Waltz’s future. This is all related to the report that the advisor accidentally added the editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, Jeffrey Goldberg, to a chat discussing a possible military attack on the Houthis.
— Half of them are saying he’s never going to survive or shouldn’t survive, — said an anonymous official. Two senior White House advisors even suggested that Waltz should resign to avoid putting the president in a difficult situation.
— It was reckless not to check who was on the thread. It was reckless to be having that conversation on Signal. You can’t have recklessness as the national security adviser, — the official emphasized.
Media reports indicate that on March 11, Goldberg received an invitation to the Signal app from "Mike Waltz". He was then added to the group chat "Houthi PC small group," allegedly attended by top administration officials, including Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Vice President J.D. Vance, and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard.
Will Trump's advisor be accountable for his mistake?
According to a third source, Trump has already spoken to Waltz about this matter.
— As President Trump said, the attacks on the Houthis have been highly successful and effective. President Trump continues to have the utmost confidence in his national security team, including national security adviser Mike Waltz, — stated White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt. The press office refused further comments.
Another White House official admitted that there is growing pressure within the administration for Waltz to take responsibility for his mistake, which could mean resignation. As he added, ultimately, everything depends on the president’s personal opinion, especially since other officials were also involved in the chat.
Some sources believe Trump may hold Waltz responsible for a potential threat to US security, but he might equally be frustrated with Vance for making statements contrary to the administration’s foreign policy line. Others point to Hegseth as the person who might have shared confidential information in the group.
