Elon Musk has been enlisted to spearhead the probe into a substantial Signal chat leak.
According to Fox News, the controversy involves top national security figures and a media leak, stirring significant political debate.
High-profile figures, including the National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, and CIA Director John Ratcliffe, were engaged in a Signal chat that inadvertently included Jeffrey Goldberg, the editor-in-chief of The Atlantic. The leak has triggered accusations of mishandling sensitive data.
The National Security Council and the White House Counsel's Office, along with a team of technical experts led by Elon Musk, constitute the investigation team. Their goal is to ascertain how the mishap occurred.
According to White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, the inclusion of Musk's team in the probe underscores the administration's commitment to thoroughly investigating the incident and preventing future leaks. "Elon Musk has offered to put his technical experts on this, to figure out how this number was inadvertently added to the chat — again, to take responsibility and ensure this can never happen again," Karoline Leavitt explained.
Originally, The Atlantic reported the Signal chat as dealing with "war plans," later clarified to "attack plans." However, the White House has refuted these claims, labeling the stories as a "hoax" and denying any exchange of classified information.
President Donald Trump has clarified that the leak was the result of an error by a staff member in Mike Waltz's office. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also dismissed the exaggerated portrayal of the leak, affirming that the content did not compromise national security.
Mike Waltz, on social media platform X, downplayed his recognition of Goldberg in the group, attributing it to a mistaken identity. "Of course I didn’t see this loser in the group. It looked like someone else," he posted, adding that the individual he mistook for being in the chat was never actually there.
Moreover, the Defense Secretary took to X to assure public support by stating, "No locations. No sources & methods. NO WAR PLANS. Foreign partners had already been notified that strikes were imminent. BOTTOM LINE: President Trump is protecting America and our interests."
Karoline Leavitt criticized The Atlantic's reporting and broader media responses in a series of posts. "If this story proves anything, it proves that Democrats and their propagandists in the mainstream media know how to fabricate, orchestrate, and disseminate a misinformation campaign quite well," she expressed.
"And there's arguably no one in the media who loves manufacturing and pushing hoaxes more than Jeffrey Goldberg," Leavitt added, emphasizing the administration's stance on media bias.
The Atlantic highlighted in a report that the leak could have had grave implications. If the leak had jeopardized specific details about American military operations, it would have put American forces at risk during sensitive missions.
The incident has become a focal point within the national security apparatus, evidencing both the potential vulnerabilities in communication among high-ranking officials and the swift political reactions that follow such leaks. As the investigation progresses, the precise circumstances of the leak and steps to reinforce security protocols will be crucial to ensure such breaches do not recur, maintaining the integrity of national security operations.
