Discussing Yemen military plan in group chat a ‘mistake’, says Trump official

Donald Trump’s director of national intelligence has acknowledged it was a “mistake” for security officials to discuss sensitive military plans in a group text chain that also included a journalist.

Tulsi Gabbard told the House Intelligence Committee the conversation included “candid and sensitive” information about military strikes against Houthi rebels in Yemen, but as she told senators during evidence on Tuesday, she said the texts did not contain any classified information.

“It was a mistake that a reporter was inadvertently added,” Ms Gabbard said.

Wednesday’s hearing was called to discuss an updated report on national security threats facing the US. Instead, much of the focus was on the text chain, which included Ms Gabbard, CIA director John Ratcliffe, defence secretary Pete Hegseth, vice president JD Vance and other senior officials.

Democrats have demanded an investigation into the sloppy communication, saying it may have exposed sensitive military information that could have jeopardised the mission or put US service members at risk.

The National Security Council has said it will investigate the matter, which Mr Trump on Tuesday downplayed as a “glitch”.

Mr Goldberg said he received the invitation on the Signal messaging service from Mike Waltz, the president’s national security adviser who was in the group chat and has taken responsibility for the lapse.

Even though the texts contained detailed information on military actions, Ms Gabbard, Mr Ratcliffe and the White House have said none of the information was classified — a claim Democrats rejected on Wednesday.

“You all know that’s a lie,” committee member Joaquin Castro told Mr Ratcliffe and Ms Gabbard, who said any decisions to classify or declassify military information falls to the secretary of defence.

Several Democrats on the panel said Mr Hegseth should resign because of the leak.

“This is classified information. It’s a weapon system, as well as a sequence of strikes, as well as details of the operations,” said Raja Krishnamoorthi. “He needs to resign immediately.”

Mr Ratcliffe defended his use of Signal as “appropriate” and said questions over the leak have overshadowed the military operation targeting the Houthis.

“What is most important is that the mission was a remarkable success,” he told legislators. “That’s what did happen, not what possibly could have happened.”

The discussion at times grew heated as Mr Ratcliffe and Democratic legislators spoke over one another. At one point, panel member Jimmy Gomez asked whether he knew if Mr Hegseth was drinking alcohol when he participated in the chat.

“I think that’s an offensive line of questioning,” Mr Ratcliffe replied angrily. “The answer is no.”

The two men began shouting over each other as Mr Gomez sought to ask a follow-up question. “We want to know if his performance is compromised,” he said.