National Security Adviser Mike Waltz and President Donald Trump pictured side by side. (Reuters)
RUBIO BREAKS SILENCE ON LEAKED SIGNAL CHAT: 'SOMEONE MADE A BIG MISTAKE'
A reporter then asked if Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth should be worried about his position amid the scandal, and Trump rushed to his Cabinet member’s defense.
"Hegseth, he was doing a great job… How do you bring Hegseth into it? He had nothing to do with this," Trump said in response. He also told reporters that he believes Signal, an encrypted messaging app, "could be defective" in light of the scandal.
While speaking to reporters, Trump dismissed the significance of the scandal and instead touted the "unbelievably successful" attack, saying that the media should be focusing on the outcome rather than the chat group.
U.S. National Security Adviser Mike Waltz and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth stand, as U.S. President Donald Trump (not pictured) meets French President Emmanuel Macron (not pictured), at the White House in Washington, D.C., Feb. 24, 2025. (REUTERS/Brian Snyder)
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The Trump administration has worked to downplay the report for days, and even claimed victory when The Atlantic published a follow-up describing what was discussed as "attack plans," rather than "war plans."
"This entire story was another hoax written by a Trump-hater who is well-known for his sensationalist spin," White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt wrote in a post on X.
Leavitt confirmed to reporters on Wednesday that Elon Musk was helping lead an investigation of the Signal chat leak. However, it is unclear what will happen to those found responsible, as Trump has already said that he would not fire Waltz over the scandal.
Rachel Wolf is a breaking news writer for Fox News Digital and FOX Business.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-says-he-always-thought-waltz-responsible-signal-chat-scandal