Rubio admits ‘someone made a big mistake’ in adding journalist to Signal chat

Secretary of State Marco Rubio addressed the Signal-chat controversy for the first time on Wednesday, acknowledging that a mistake was made when a journalist from The Atlantic was added to a Signal text chain that included Washington’s top national security heads. Rubio explained that the purpose of the text exchange on the encrypted messaging application was simply for officials to coordinate and communicate with their counterparts.

The inclusion of a journalist in the text chain, along with the fact that potentially classified information was shared on a platform targeted by Russian hackers, caused global shockwaves. Despite this, the Pentagon clarified that no classified intelligence was exchanged in the messages.

Rubio admitted that a mistake was made in adding a journalist to the group, stating that the information shared was not classified but was not intended to be divulged. He mentioned that the White House was investigating the matter. President Donald Trump downplayed the incident, calling it the only glitch his administration had faced in two months and stating that it was not a serious issue.

National security advisor Mike Waltz, who set up the text chain and accidentally added the Atlantic editor, took full responsibility for the embarrassing mishap. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard also acknowledged the mistake of including a reporter in a text group that contained candid and sensitive information, although she maintained that no classified information was shared.

The debate between The Atlantic’s reporting and the White House escalated when the administration and Pentagon denied sharing any “war planning” information. Waltz clarified in a tweet that no war plans were shared, and foreign partners had been notified of imminent strikes. The Atlantic stood by their reporting, stating that the texts did include attack plans.

In the released text exchange, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth reportedly detailed the mission launch timeline. Despite the discrepancy in reports, Rubio and other officials pointed to the Pentagon’s assessment that the texts did not endanger anyone’s life or the mission at the time and did not contain intelligence information.

In conclusion, the Signal-chat controversy highlighted the importance of secure communication channels for government officials. The incident serves as a reminder of the potential risks of sharing sensitive information on vulnerable platforms. Rubio and other officials emphasized the need for caution and adherence to security protocols in all communications.