Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and CIA Director John Ratcliffe withstood a barrage of congressional queries into the Signal leak that's taken the Executive Branch by storm. (Reuters/Kevin Lamarque)
And then Democrats scored a gift with the bolloxed text chain.
Or, it was at least something Democrats could wield against the other side.
They were apoplectic about the group chat.
"It’s the dumbest thing I've seen," said Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz.
"I think this is one more example of the kind of sloppy, careless, incompetent behavior," bemoaned Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee.
HEGSETH SAYS NO CLASSIFIED INFORMATION WAS SHARED IN SIGNAL GROUP CHAT: 'NOBODY'S TEXTING WAR PLANS'
Democrats charged that intelligence officials were cavalier with information.
"This sloppiness, this incompetence, this disrespect for our intelligence agencies and the personnel who work for them is entirely unacceptable. It's an embarrassment," said Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo. "You need to do better. You need to do better."
Gabbard initially sidestepped when Warner questioned her about the digital misfire.
"Senator, I don't want to get into the specifics," Gabbard said.
That response confounded Warner.
Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., pressed Gabbard and Ratcliffe on the possible presence of classified material in the leaked messages. (Reuters/Kevin Lamarque)
Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., who sits on the Intelligence Committee and is the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, chimed in at a news conference.
"If that's true, the administration should immediately provide a copy of the group chat to Congress," said Reed.
The debate over operational security and faulty handling of sensitive information is the entrée for this story. But frank assessments about Europe and U.S. allies by Vice President JD Vance and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth constituted a fascinating group chat biproduct.
REPORTER'S NOTEBOOK: IMPEACHAPALOOZA IS HERE TO STAY
Vance texted his concerns about the U.S. commencing airstrikes – which may be more beneficial for Europe than the United States. Vance and other Trump Administration officials have criticized Europe for their approaches to security – often leaning on the United States.
"3 percent of US trade runs through the suez," texted Vance, addressing how the Houthis pose a risk to shipping through the Suez Canal. "40 percent of European trade does."
Vance blessed the operation on the text chain. But added this jab.
"I just hate bailing Europe out again," texted the Vice President.
Then Hegseth jumped in.
"I fully share your loathing of European free-loading," replied Hegseth. "It's PATHETIC."
Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, D-Pa., lamented the fact that lawmakers' preoccupation with the leak distracted from her original "intent to talk about biosecurity and bioterrorism" at the hearing. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
"The penalty is we’re less prepared to deal with the dangerous world," said Sen. John Kennedy, R-La. "We're not as far as long as we should be and having a very serious discussion about national security."
House Intelligence Committee member and Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, D-Penn., said it was her "intent to talk about biosecurity and bioterrorism" at the hearing. But she couldn’t because of the text chat.
"It does distract from the conversation. And I'm frustrated by unforced errors that we don't have to be dealing with," said Houlahan.
RATCLIFFE SAYS NEW SIGNAL TEXTS SHOW HE 'DID NOT TRANSMIT CLASSIFIED INFORMATION'
But despite what played out in public, both the House and Senate Intelligence Committees conducted private, frank sessions with officials after the open forums.
"We covered a lot of things in that closed session," said Rep. Jim Himes, D-Ct., the top Democrat on the Intelligence panel. "Everything from Russia to China to fentanyl. You name it."
But Himes lamented that the committees exhausted so much time discussing the text chain.
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The group chat story is here to stay. At least for a while. Until another major story barrels its way onto the scene and rattles everything on Capitol Hill. At that point the new subject becomes the talk of the town.
Chad Pergram currently serves as a senior congressional correspondent for FOX News Channel (FNC). He joined the network in September 2007 and is based out of Washington, D.C.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/congressional-democrats-find-voice-signal-slip-up-becomes-talk-town