Trump supports Waltz amid the Signal chat scandal
Photo: Donald Trump, 47th President of the United States (Getty Images)
The President of the United States of America (USA) has backed National Security Adviser Mike Waltz amid a scandal over the journalist's inclusion in a chat where officials discussed military plans, according to Trump in a phone interview with NBC News.
"Michael Waltz has learned a lesson, and he’s a good man," Trump said.
It is noted that these comments from the head of the White House were his first substantive remarks on the incident.
The US President added that the presence of The Atlantic's editor-in-chief, Jeffrey Goldberg, in the chat had "no impact at all" on the military operation. He also expressed confidence in his team and noted that the situation was "the only glitch in two months."
Scandalous Signal chat meeting
On March 11, Goldberg was accidentally added to a closed chat on the Signal messenger, where US officials were discussing strikes on the Houthis in Yemen. The incident sparked a strong reaction among politicians, with some members of Congress calling for an investigation.
Waltz, for his part, denies that military plans were discussed in the chat. He specifically called Goldberg a "lying and highly discredited so-called journalist who has made a career out of selling hoaxes over and over again."
Meanwhile, Fox News reports that Waltz is not facing dismissal. Moreover, today he is set to discuss a ceasefire agreement in the Black Sea with his Russian counterpart.
