(Bloomberg) — Tulsi Gabbard, the Director of National Intelligence, reiterated that no classified information was shared in a chat among US officials about a military operation that inadvertently included a journalist.
“The conversation was candid and sensitive but as the president and national security advisor stated no classified information was shared,” Gabbard said in a House hearing Wednesday. “There were no sources, methods, locations or war plans that were shared.”
The Trump administration is under scrutiny for the embarrassing episode revealed this week by the The Atlantic magazine, whose editor-in-chief wrote that he had been added to a text chat among top cabinet members as they discussed a strike earlier this month on Houthi rebels in Yemen.
The Atlantic on Wednesday released the transcript of the group chat between top US officials on Signal that inadvertently included its chief editor, revealing how Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth shared details of timing and weapons systems to be used in attacks against militants in Yemen.
The intelligence chiefs appeared before the House committee after a similar hearing in the Senate the previous day, where they defended their actions and said no classified information was shared in the chat.
The new transcript published by The Atlantic included a text message from Hegseth to the full group — which included Vice President JD Vance, National Security Advisor Mike Waltz and others — giving precise times for two waves of US attacks against the Houthis, including with details of what weapons system would be used.
Gabbard added on Wednesday that “I was not directly involved with that part of the signal chat and replied at the end” and that “I did not recall the specific details that were included” when asked about her testimony Tuesday.
“Ultimately the Secretary of Defense holds the authority to classify or declassify,” she said, referring to Hegseth.
The episode is playing out as the Trump administration is pushing to end Russia’s war in Ukraine, an effort that’s been criticized as being too accommodating to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“I’m worried the call may be coming from inside the house,” Jim Himes, the ranking member from Connecticut, said in his opening statement. “As far as I can tell, we’re on Team Kremlin.”
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