Senator James Lankford, a Republican from Louisiana and member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, defended Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth amid controversy over a leaked Signal chat. This chat included discussions among Trump administration officials about airstrikes on Iranian-backed Houthi terrorists in Yemen.
In a recent appearance on CNN’s "State of the Union," Lankford was asked if Hegseth should be held accountable for sharing sensitive information about the timing and aircraft involved in the planned strikes. Lankford responded that he did not view this as a leadership issue. He explained that Hegseth was merely using an encrypted app and believed he was part of a secure conversation. Lankford noted that Hegseth’s intent was to provide a heads-up about the attack plan, similar to how they informed foreign partners.
The White House confirmed that Jeffrey Goldberg, the Editor-in-Chief of Atlantic, was mistakenly added to the Signal chat, leading to the leak. They stated that the National Security Council would investigate the breach. In response to the leak, Hegseth emphasized that his role was to keep everyone updated in real time. National Security Advisor Mike Waltz has taken full responsibility for the leak, admitting he was the one who created the Signal group.
Lankford characterized the use of the Signal app as standard practice for communication, highlighting that the real issue was having a reporter included in the discussions. When pressed further about Hegseth’s leadership, Lankford reiterated that he did not believe there was a problem. He dismissed calls for Hegseth’s resignation as excessive.
Lankford praised Hegseth for effectively leading a response to Houthi attacks, which have targeted American ships numerous times. He pointed out that the Trump administration’s actions were appropriate and necessary to counter these threats.
Overall, Lankford’s comments reflect support for Hegseth during a challenging time, emphasizing the importance of the U.S. response to ongoing threats from the Houthis.