This is not what Trump was hoping for. Things are starting to go sideways for him.
And this tense Senate hearing has President Trump rushing to his advisors in a panic.
US Ambassador Nominee Faces Tough Questions Over Signal Chat Leak
Mike Waltz, President Trump’s pick for US ambassador to the United Nations, faced a grilling during his Senate confirmation hearing on Tuesday, as lawmakers dug into the “Signalgate” controversy that has shadowed his nomination.
Democratic senators on the Foreign Relations Committee zeroed in on a leaked Signal group chat involving Waltz and other Trump administration officials, pressing him on his role in the mishap and his handling of sensitive information.
The issue traces back to a group chat where Waltz, then serving as national security adviser, and others discussed plans for mid-March airstrikes against the Houthis. The chat took a turn when Jeffrey Goldberg, editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, was accidentally added, exposing the conversation. Democrats used the hearing to question Waltz’s judgment in using a commercial app for such discussions.
Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.) voiced frustration, saying, “I was hoping to hear from you that you had some sense of regret over sharing what was very sensitive, timely information about a military strike on a commercially available app.”
Though the “Signalgate” issue wasn’t the hearing’s main focus, it surfaced about an hour in, with Democrats keen to hold Waltz accountable.
Waltz defended himself, insisting, “There was no classified information on that chat,” a point he repeated throughout the session.
He acknowledged the mistake of including Goldberg but maintained that the leaked messages, which showed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth sharing details of the airstrikes’ timing and targets, did not involve classified material.
Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) delivered the most pointed criticism, accusing Waltz of dodging the truth about how Goldberg ended up in the chat. Waltz initially claimed he didn’t know Goldberg and suggested his contact was added by mistake.
Booker pushed back, saying, “I’ve seen you not only fail to stand up, but lie.” He added, “That’s not leadership when you blame people that tell the truth. That’s not leadership when you can’t say the words, ‘I made a mistake. I could have done better.’”
Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) also raised a red flag, noting that “Signal has not been approved for use by U.S. government officials for the sharing of classified information.”
Waltz countered that the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) had promoted Signal’s use during the Biden administration, though he admitted it wasn’t meant for classified exchanges. He stood firm that no sensitive details were compromised.
The “Signalgate” fallout led to a shift for Waltz. A month after the incident, Trump tapped him for the UN ambassador role, naming Secretary of State Marco Rubio as acting national security adviser.
Addressing concerns about his status, Waltz told Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), “I was not fired. The president never said that, nor did the vice president.” He confirmed he has continued to draw a White House salary as an adviser.
If confirmed, Waltz will take over from Dorothy Shea, who has served as acting UN ambassador since January. Trump had initially nominated Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) for the role, but her nomination was pulled in March over concerns about thinning the Republican House majority.
As the Senate considers Waltz’s confirmation, the “Signalgate” episode remains a sticking point, raising questions about his transparency and readiness to represent the US on the global stage.
Stay tuned to the Conservative Column.
