Trump official on Mike Waltz following text message scandal: ‘f***ing idiot'
In this DML Report…
President Donald Trump is standing by National Security Adviser Mike Waltz after a major security breach where The Atlantic’s editor-in-chief, Jeffrey Goldberg, was accidentally added to a private Signal chat discussing U.S. military strikes on Yemen’s Houthi rebels. The chat, named “Houthi PC small group,” included top officials like Vice President JD Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, revealing operational details of the March 15, 2025, bombings. Trump called it a “glitch” on March 24, with White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt affirming his “utmost confidence” in Waltz and the team, despite the leak exposing sensitive plans.
The breach sparked outrage in the White House, with one official telling Politico, “Everyone can agree Mike Waltz is a f***ing idiot,” and two senior aides suggesting he resign to spare Trump further damage. The chat, active from March 11, exposed blunt sentiments, including Hegseth’s disdain for “European free-loading” and Vance’s push for quick strikes. Goldberg, added by Waltz, stayed silent as over a dozen officials unknowingly shared classified data, raising Espionage Act concerns. Democrats on the House Armed Services Committee demanded Waltz’s ouster, while Trump allies like Speaker Mike Johnson defended him, citing successful Houthi strikes.
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Waltz, a former Green Beret and congressman, faces scrutiny over his judgment, though Trump has no plans to fire him as of March 25, 2025. The leak revealed internal tensions, with Waltz’s past ties to Dick Cheney fueling MAGA skepticism, yet his quip likening Zelensky to an “ex-girlfriend” aligns with Trump’s style. The White House downplayed the fallout, noting no operational impact on the Yemen strikes, but the incident has reignited debates over secure communications, echoing the Clinton email scandal. Waltz remains in his role, sticking to his schedule, with Trump weighing the political cost as coverage unfolds.