Atlantic magazine editor Jeffrey Goldberg has dismissed the explanation given by national security adviser Mike Waltz for how he was added to a Trump administration group text chat about and prior to the bombing of Houthi rebels in Yemen. Goldberg stated that Waltz’s claim of his contact being “sucked into” his phone via “somebody else’s contact” was implausible, comparing it to the science fiction film The Matrix, where he noted that phone numbers do not simply transfer themselves between devices. Goldberg asserted that he and Waltz had indeed spoken before the Signal leak came to light, countering Waltz’s assertion to the contrary during a meeting with Trump and ambassadors at the White House.

The chat, which included senior Trump administration officials discussing an imminent US attack on Houthi installations and senior personnel, raised concerns about the security measures taken by neophyte administration officials to protect national security. Donald Trump repeated his stance that the disclosures were a mistake and denied reports that Waltz had offered to resign, characterizing him as “a very good man” who would continue to do a good job.”

Democratic Senator Mark Warner continued to press the issue, stating that Republican White House officials involved in the Signal leak risked American lives, suggesting such negligence would lead to dismissal in traditional military or CIA contexts. Susan Rice, former national security adviser to Barack Obama, labeled the leak as “extraordinarily reckless” and “unprecedented,” noting that even the existence of the conversations is classified and that in a normal administration, those responsible would be fired immediately.

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/30/signal-leak-jeffrey-goldberg-mike-waltz