Signal app 'national security scandal' may have claimed its first victim as Donald Trump plans to fire…
Signal app, which became the centre of a national security controversy involving a high-ranking official in the Trump administration, appears to have directly led to significant consequences for US National Security Adviser Mike Waltz. Citing people familier with the matter, CNN reports that President Trump is expected to remove Waltz from his position in the coming days. The trouble began when it was discovered that Waltz was a participant in a group conversation on the app which was used to discuss highly sensitive military operations, specifically planned strikes against Houthi rebels in Yemen. A major breach of security occurred when a journalist was accidentally included in this conversation.
The report said that Waltz's position became indefensible after he 'mistakenly' included the editor of The Atlantic in a Signal group chat discussing highly sensitive military strikes. This incident led to Trump considering his dismissal, though he initially didn't do it 'because he [Trump] didn't want to provide his enemies a perceived victory'.
However, Waltz's standing within the West Wing never fully recovered, and his influence waned, particularly with Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, the report added. This would be the first major staff shakeup of Trump's second term.
How Signal app may led to NSA Mike Waltz's dismissal
The Signal incident proved to be a critical factor in Trump's decision.
'President Trump lost confidence in him a while ago,' an administration official told the publication. Trump reportedly couldn't move past how Waltz added a journalist to the chat.
The incident also reportedly highlighted a double standard, as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who also shared sensitive information on Signal, is not facing dismissal. Trump believed Hegseth should be retained after a difficult confirmation process, and he enjoys greater support from the MAGA base.
Meanwhile, Democrats on Capitol Hill criticised Trump's decision, arguing that Hegseth's actions were more serious.
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