Unease grows as Republicans demand probe into explosive group chat scandal where White House officials shared sensitive military intel

independent investigation into a Signal group chat where top Trump administration officials, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, shared sensitive military details about planned strikes in Yemen. The chat, which inadvertently included *The Atlantic*’s editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg, has sparked bipartisan alarm over national security protocols. While Democrats demand resignations, Republicans like Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.) argue an inquiry is “entirely appropriate” but stop short of calling for dismissals, calling such demands “overkill.”

GOP Split Over Security Breach Fallout

Lankford joined Senate Armed Services Chair Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) in pushing for accountability, with Wicker formally requesting a Defense Department inspector general review. The lawmakers highlighted concerns that using unsecured platforms like Signal to discuss operational details—especially with a journalist present—risks exposing classified information.
Lankford questioned how Goldberg gained access to the chat and whether officials have secure communication methods outside classified settings. However, he defended Hegseth, suggesting the defense secretary merely joined an encrypted app “believing it was a closed circle,” not a leadership failure.
Waltz, who admitted adding Goldberg by mistake, called the lapse “embarrassing” but denied knowing the journalist. Goldberg disputed this, claiming Waltz had prior interactions with him. Meanwhile, Trump dismissed the incident as a “glitch” with “no impact” on the successful Yemen strikes, vowing not to fire anyone over “fake news.”

Security Risks and Democratic Demands

Former intelligence officials, including Trump-era deputy director Sue