Here’s what happened during Trump’s tenth week in office
While the U.S. military continues to conduct strikes against Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen, President Donald Trump and his administration are facing their own battle over leaked texts detailing war plans related to these strikes. This week, the Atlantic published a story revealing how administration officials used a Signal group chat to discuss the strikes in Yemen, mistakenly adding a journalist to the group. The chat included top White House leaders such as Vice President JD Vance, National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, as well as Atlantic editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg.
Despite the White House’s claim that no classified information was shared via the encrypted messaging service, the Atlantic published the full exchange of messages which included specific details about the strikes. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt reiterated that no classified information was shared, stating that no locations, sources, methods, or war plans were discussed.
However, lawmakers are calling for Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth to resign in light of the controversy. Senate Armed Service Committee leaders Sen. Roger Wicker and Jack Reed have requested an inspector general investigation into the use of the Signal app, as well as a classified briefing with a top administration official. Additionally, Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi from the House Intelligence Committee is among those calling for Hegseth’s resignation.
In other news this week, President Trump issued a pardon for Devon Archer, a former business associate of Hunter Biden who was convicted in 2018 for defrauding a Native American tribe. The pardon came after Archer’s conviction was overturned and reinstated, with his prison sentence up in the air prior to the pardon. Trump cited Archer as a victim of a crime and expressed that he was treated unfairly.
Furthermore, Trump signed an executive order directing the FBI to declassify files related to the Crossfire Hurricane investigation, the agency’s probe into potential collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia during the 2016 election. Trump criticized the investigation as a “total weaponization” and expressed doubt that journalists would dig into the declassified files.
On a global front, Vice President JD Vance and National Security Advisor Mike Waltz visited the Pituffik Space Base in Greenland, the northernmost military installation of the Department of Defense. The Trump administration has expressed interest in acquiring Greenland for national security purposes, accusing Denmark of neglecting the territory. However, leaders in Denmark and Greenland oppose Greenland becoming part of the U.S., with Greenland’s prime minister advocating for independence from Copenhagen.
Meanwhile, Denmark is under scrutiny for its treatment of indigenous people from Greenland, with a group of indigenous women suing the Danish government for allegedly fitting them with intrauterine devices without their knowledge in the past. An investigation into this matter is ongoing and a report is expected to be released this year.
Overall, the Trump administration is facing challenges both domestically and internationally, as controversies surrounding leaked war plans, pardons, declassified investigations, and international relations continue to unfold.
