President Donald Trump voiced renewed support for his national security adviser Mike Waltz on Tuesday, adding that Waltz does not need to “apologize” for his role in accidentally adding the Atlantic’s Jeffrey Goldberg to a Signal group chat with Cabinet officials planning airstrikes on Houthi rebels in Yemen.
Goldberg’s report, published Monday, ignited immediate calls for the resignations of Waltz and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Goldberg said the government officials were carelessly discussing classified information, including timing and targets of pending military strikes.
Earlier on Tuesday, Trump told NBC News that he retained confidence in Waltz, but the president faced a string of questions from reporters during a meeting later Tuesday afternoon.
“No, I don’t think he should apologize. I think he’s doing his best. It’s equipment and technology that’s not perfect,” Trump said, reiterating a point claimed by White House officials that “no classified information” had been shared on the thread.
Goldberg disputes that characterization but says he did not publish that portion of the conversation in an effort not to endanger American military personnel overseas.
Trump additionally defended government officials’ use of Signal but also directed Waltz to open an investigation into Signal to determine “if people are able to break into the system.”
Waltz, who had not spoken publicly since the Atlantic’s story ran on Monday, was also present at the meeting and, when asked to speak by Trump, attacked Goldberg directly.
“I think there’s a lot of lessons. There’s a lot of journalists in this city who have made big names for themselves making up lies about this president, whether it’s the Russia hoax or making up lies about Gold Star families, and this one in particular, I’ve never met, don’t know, never communicated with, and we are looking into him, reviewing how the heck he got into this room,” he said. “This journalist, Mr. President, wants the world talking about more hoaxes and this kind of nonsense rather than the freedom that you’re enabling.”
“As I understand it, he left very early because he didn’t find it very exciting,” Trump added of Goldberg.
TRUMP STANDS BY WALTZ AFTER HOUTHI GROUP CHAT LEAK
You can watch Trump’s remarks in full below.