Georgia Sen. Ossoff raises alarm over journalist in military strike group chat

ATLANTA - National Security Adviser Mike Waltz is taking full responsibility for accidentally adding a journalist to a group chat discussing plans for a military strike on Houthi rebels in Yemen.

The mistake, which Waltz called "embarrassing," did not impact the strike itself, he said. However, the incident has sparked concerns about security protocols at the highest levels of government.

What we know:

According to journalist Jeffrey Goldberg, he was inadvertently included in a Signal group chat with key members of the Trump administration. The chat reportedly included Vice President J.D. Vance, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, and the directors of national intelligence and the CIA.

Despite the mishap, President Donald Trump is standing by Waltz. "No, I don't think he should apologize," Trump said, dismissing calls for Waltz to face consequences. Waltz, for his part, acknowledged the mistake but remained defiant. "We're moving forward, and we're gonna continue to knock it out of the park for this president," he said.

What they're saying:

Democrats, however, are not ready to let the matter go. Georgia Sen. Jon Ossoff expressed concern that the leak could have put American lives at risk if the messages had been seen by adversaries. Ossoff questioned CIA Director John Ratcliffe about the incident during a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing.

Some Democrats are now calling for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to resign over the matter, arguing that such lapses in security are unacceptable.

Meanwhile, U.S. allies are also reacting to the leak, with some officials expressing doubts about intelligence-sharing with Washington. The incident has raised concerns about the security of joint military operations and the ability to safeguard sensitive information.

What's next:

The Trump administration has not indicated any plans for disciplinary action against Waltz or others involved in the leak.