U.S. President Donald Trump has dismissed National Security Adviser Michael Waltz after a serious security lapse involving the inadvertent addition of a journalist to a highly confidential group chat on the encrypted messaging app, Signal.
The blunder—now being referred to in political circles as “Signalgate”—is reportedly the first major personnel shakeup of Trump’s second term, according to the Daily Mail.
Waltz’s dismissal stems from his accidental inclusion of The Atlantic editor-in-chief, Jeffrey Goldberg, in a Signal group chat that comprised 17 top-level U.S. officials. The group was actively discussing classified military strategies, specifically operations targeting Houthi forces in Yemen.
The situation escalated dramatically when Goldberg published the entire conversation, sparking a firestorm of criticism, public concern, and internal scrutiny over national security protocols.
Sources within Washington’s security community told the Daily Mail that Waltz’s firing had been anticipated for weeks. His deputy, Alex Wong, is also facing internal criticism and may be at risk of losing his position.
“There is growing dissatisfaction within the national security structure,” said veteran political analyst Mark Halperin on his YouTube show, 2Way. He emphasized that the issue was more about professional competency than political alignment.
Although Waltz initially managed to hold onto his role after the incident, the fallout significantly tarnished his reputation. In a recent appearance on Fox & Friends, he tried to steer the conversation toward foreign policy, touting a recent minerals agreement with Ukraine as a win for American taxpayers.
However, in a separate appearance on The Ingraham Angle with Laura Ingraham, Waltz stumbled when asked to explain how Goldberg gained access to the Signal chat. “If you have someone’s contact and… somehow it gets pulled in,” he said, struggling to provide a clear answer.
Reports suggest President Trump was reluctant to remove Waltz immediately, fearing that the move might be seen as a victory for Goldberg and the media establishment. In a reserved statement to The Atlantic, Trump commented: “Waltz is fine. I mean, he’s here. He just left my office. He’s fine. He took some hits too.”
Steve Witkoff, Trump’s special envoy who has previously met with Russian President Vladimir Putin, is reportedly among those being considered to replace Waltz.
An official announcement from the White House regarding Waltz’s successor is expected in the coming days.
