Why Trump Forgave Waltz Over Group Chat Leak Scandal
President Donald Trump was reportedly furious after learning that National Security Advisor Mike Waltz had accidentally added a journalist to a group chat discussing a sensitive military operation—but ultimately chose not to fire him to avoid political fallout.
On March 11, Waltz created a group chat on the encrypted messaging app Signal to coordinate with top officials on a planned airstrike against Houthi targets in Yemen. Unintentionally, he added Jeffrey Goldberg, editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, to the conversation.
The Atlantic published partial chat transcripts on March 24, revealing some messages but omitting sections Goldberg claimed contained sensitive national security information.
Sources told The Guardian and Politico that Trump was enraged when the leak first came to light but ultimately stood by Waltz to avoid admitting fault or giving The Atlantic a public relations victory.
“The president was angry—it was a boneheaded mistake,” one Trump ally said. “But he also didn’t want to make it a bigger scandal by firing Waltz and confirming the administration messed up.”
The group chat, labeled "Houthi PC small group," included top White House officials, cabinet members, and Vice President JD Vance. Goldberg's accidental inclusion came to light around 9 a.m. on March 24, triggering panic among senior aides.
Trump, who has long prioritized message discipline and loyalty in his second term, viewed the incident as both embarrassing and politically damaging—especially since Goldberg and The Atlantic have been frequent critics of his administration. The president once called Goldberg a “low-life” and has accused the magazine of peddling “fake news.”
Recognizing the seriousness of the error, Waltz immediately informed Trump and claimed he had never communicated with Goldberg before. He blamed the mix-up on a staffer who mistakenly saved the journalist’s contact into his phone.
Despite his initial anger, Trump’s team quickly moved to downplay the situation. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, whose name appeared in the chat, denied that any operational plans were discussed. “No one texted anything about the strike plan,” he told reporters in Hawaii, visibly irritated.
National Security Council spokesman Brian Hughes confirmed the chat existed but argued it was evidence of effective coordination. White House Communications Director Steven Cheung called the scandal a “manufactured media hit.”
At the same time, the Trump administration shifted focus, with intelligence officials like Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and CIA chief John Ratcliffe adjusting their Senate testimony to emphasize information security.
Trump publicly defended Waltz in a March 25 interview with NBC News, saying, “He’s a good guy, and he’s learned from this. I don’t think it’s a big deal.” He added that the chat messages “weren’t important” and didn’t affect the March 15 airstrike operation.
At a diplomatic meeting later that day, Trump and Waltz were seen in good spirits, and the president again brushed off the incident as minor.
According to aides, Trump genuinely likes Waltz and appreciates his performance on national security issues. They also noted that firing him would play into Democratic attacks and media narratives, especially after a successful military operation.
Still, insiders caution that Waltz isn’t entirely out of the woods. “Trump has more trust in his team this time around, but he doesn’t forget mistakes,” one source said. “If he ever doubts someone’s judgment—or worse, their loyalty—the ax can still fall.”
(Sources: CNN, Politico, The Guardian)
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