Director of National #Intelligence #TulsiGabbard, #FBI Director #KashPatel & #CIA Director #JohnRatcliffe are testifying before the #House Intelligence Cmte again Wed amid fallout over senior #Trump national officials sharing messages about a #military strike over an unsecured group chat w/ #TheAtlantic’s #JeffreyGoldberg.
#Gabbard addressed the #Signal fiasco in opening remarks, referring to #Waltz’s previous comments & noting that he has “taken full responsibility.”
#Waltz, in an interview w/ FauxNews Tues night, said a staffer wasn’t responsible & that he was taking “full responsibility” & that he made a “mistake.” But he insisted that #JeffreyGoldberg’s number had been erroneously added to someone else’s contact.
“I built the group,” Waltz said. “My job is to make sure everything’s coordinated.”
#law #NationalSecurity #SignalGate #Signal #Trump #idiocracy #kakistocracy
https://www.politico.com/news/2025/03/26/trump-leak-mike-waltz-atlantic-00249106
"#NationalSecurity advisor has taken full responsibility for this, & the National Security Council is conducting an in-depth review, along w/technical experts working to determine how this reporter was inadvertently added to this chat," #Gabbard testified this morning.
#TulsiGabbard maintained that #classified info was not shared, but called the conversation "candid & sensitive."
#law #SignalGate #Signal #idiocracy #kakistocracy #JDVance #Hegseth #Ratcliffe #MikeWaltz #MarcoRubio #StephenMiller
"There were no sources, methods, locations or war plans that were shared," she claimed. "This was a standard update to the #NationalSecurity cabinet that was provided alongside updates that were given to foreign partners in the region."
#Gabbard also said that #Signal is pre-installed on government devices. (wtf?)
She referred to a pending lawsuit as a reason why she would be “limited” in commenting further on the issue.
Well done Rep #JoaquinCastro!
During the #House #Intelligence Cmte hearing, #Castro asked #TulsiGabbard why #Venezuela was not included in the annual #ThreatAssessment Report. Castro cited #Trump’s invocation of the #AlienEnemiesAct to conduct #MassDeportations & Trump’s claim that he could invoke the #AEA because he believes we are at #war with Venezuela. Castro asked #Gabbard that if we are at war with a country how is it possible that they didn’t warrant entry in the assessment.
Rep #JimHimes, the top #Democrat on the #House #Intelligence Committee, asked #TulsiGabbard, the director of national intelligence, about her testimony on Tues that precise details about the attack were not included in the chat, given the new release of messages that contradict that. “My answer yesterday was based on my recollection, or the lack thereof, on the details that were posted there,” she said.
Himes hammered away on the idea that the timing of the attacks was #classified as “#TopSecret” under #intelligence community rules. #Gabbard said she didn’t disagree but reiterated that material was posted to the chat by Secy of #Defense #PeteHegseth, & that he is in charge of declassifying material from the #Pentagon.
John #Ratcliffe, the #CIA director, said the newly released portions of the chat show that he did not share #classified information there. “My answers haven’t changed,” he said. “I used an appropriate channel to communicate sensitive information. It was permissible to do so. I didn’t transfer any classified information.”
#Ratcliffe said the #CIA officer he had added to the #Signal chat was his chief of staff, who is not serving under cover. While he chastised #TheAtlantic for making it look as if he had revealed #classified information by including the name, the magazine said it had withheld the name at the urging of the agency. The CIA typically asks that the names of most of its officers be kept secret to preserve their ability to serve overseas in undercover roles in the future.
In the #intelligence hearing, Rep #JoaquinCastro, #Democrat of Texas, took issue with the intelligence officials saying the information in the #Signal chat on the #Houthi strikes was not #classified. “You all know that’s a lie,” he said. “It’s a lie to the country.”
While Rep Raja Krishnamoorthi, #Democrat of IL, spoke, he displayed an oversized printout of the #Signal texts published by #TheAtlantic this morning. #Krishnamoorthi referenced the graphic multiple times while questioning Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Kruse, director of the #Defense #Intelligence Agency, on whether the information detailing operational plans was #classified or not.
Kruse admitted his agency would define the type of information shared as classified.
Rep #JasonCrow, #Democrat of Colorado, asked #TulsiGabbard if she was traveling during the time of the attack & the #Signal discussion. She said she was traveling in Asia, but did not recall what country.
Crow made the point that the #Houthis have been able to shoot down U.S. MQ-9 Reaper drones, one of the weapons used in the strike on #Yemen & got #Gabbard to say she knew Houthis had that capability.
#JasonCrow showed the advanced air defense systems the #Houthis have, & then said it was outrageous that the #Trump admin was not accepting responsibility for the leak. “It is a leadership failure, & that’s why Secretary #Hegseth, who undoubtedly transmitted #classified sensitive operational information via this chain, must #resign immediately,” he said.
Ridiculous
Sean Parnell, chief #Pentagon spox, shared a statement while traveling w/ #defense Secy #PeteHegseth in the western Pacific:
“It’s no surprise hoax-peddlers at the Atlantic have already abandoned their ‘war plans’ claim. These additional #Signal chat messages confirm there were no classified materials or war plans shared. The Secretary was merely updating the group on a plan that was underway & had already been briefed through official channels.
1/
[Parnell stmnt cont]
“The American people see through the Atlantic’s pathetic attempts to distract from President #Trump’s #NationalSecurity agenda.”
Several retired military commanders have pushed back on the claims that the details in #PeteHegseth’s messages were not classified.
2/2
#Republicans in the #House hearing are mostly ignoring the #Signal chat. Rep #DanCrenshaw, Republican of Texas, was one of the few to even bring it up.
“I will note I always use fire emojis when I see terrorists getting killed,” he said.
#law #NationalSecurity #SignalGate #Trump #idiocracy #kakistocracy #intelligence #InfoSec
Rep #JimmyGomez, #Democrat CA, asked if #Gabbard or #Ratcliffe had any info as to whether #Defense Sec #PeteHegseth had been drinking the day he texted clearly #classified information on #Signal.
Gomez’s question resulted in an explosion of feigned indignation from Ratcliffe–accusing Gomez of inappropriate behavior. Gomez replied #Hegseth’s alcohol abuse was a concern to Americans & he’d sworn in his confirmation hearing he’d quit. Yet, Hegseth recently appeared at a podium in Europe w/a drink.
#TulsiGabbard, dir of natl #intelligence, was put on the spot by #House Rep #StaceyPlaskett of the Virgin Islands, who asked if #Russia was a friend or adversary of the #US. On Tues in the #Senate, Gabbard called Russia a “competitor”. But today, when asked to choose between the 2, Gabbard admitted Russia was an adversary. That wouldn’t be asked of any other admin, but #Trump’s criticism of #Ukraine & praise of Russia & Gabbard’s past parroting of Russian propaganda makes it necessary.
This idiot
#PeteHegseth spouts off on social media:
So, let's me get this straight. The Atlantic released the so-called "war plans" and those "plans" include: No names. No targets. No locations.
Trying (no: really!) not to be too vulgar about this, but I can't help but think that all the 'Tiger Team' and 'SITREP' and 'OPSEC' texting between these middle-age men is a pretty strong Viagra for them
Most of them haven't been so *firm* about anything else in years and years