On Tuesday, President Donald Trump stood up for his National Security Adviser, Mike Waltz, after it came out that Waltz had accidentally added the editor-in-chief of The Atlantic magazine to a private chat group. This group was made up of top US national security officials who were discussing plans to attack the Houthis in Yemen earlier this month.

An interview between NBC News and Trump happened on Tuesday. There, Trump described Waltz as “a good man” and remarked that he “has learned a lesson.” The President also stated that the March 15 airstrikes, which he called “perfectly successful,” were not affected by including journalist Jeffrey Goldberg in a Signal group. The group also comprised Vice President JD Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. He emphasised that this incident was the “only glitch in two months” of his presidency, adding, “and it turned out not to be a serious one.”

Trump’s remarks followed a new statement from the White House on Tuesday regarding the alleged blunder. The National Security Council earlier said that The Atlantic’s story appeared to be “an authentic message chain.”

Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, criticised Jeffrey Goldberg, saying, “Jeffrey Goldberg is well-known for his sensationalist spin.” She also took to X to share three “facts about his latest story.”

Leavitt stated that the White House Counsel's Office had provided guidance on various channels for Trump’s top officials to communicate “as safely and efficiently as possible.” She also clarified that no “war plans” were discussed, nor was any secret data shared in the thread.

Quoting the National Security Council, she stated that the White House investigates how Goldberg’s number was mistakenly included in the thread.

“Thanks to the strong and decisive leadership of President Trump and everyone in the group, the Houthi strikes were successful and effective. Terrorists were killed, and that’s what matters most to President Trump,” she said.

Meanwhile, Democrats on the House Armed Services Committee have called for Waltz’s resignation, citing an alleged “outrageous national security breach.” A Democratic member emphasised the need for urgent action, stating, “We need a full investigation and hearing into this on the House Armed Services Committee, ASAP.”

In response to The Atlantic's report, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth criticised the magazine, insisting that “nobody was texting war plans.” He also condemned Goldberg, calling him a “deceitful and highly discredited journalist who’s made a profession of peddling hoaxes time and time again.”