Senator Mark Kelly (D-AZ) demanded answers from National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard and CIA Director John Ratcliffe on the recent leak of a group chat on Signal discussing plans to attack the Yemeni Houthis in a recent Senate Intelligence Committee hearing.
Atlantic editor in chief Jeffrey Goldberg was mistakenly added to a group chat on the encrypted messaging app Signal last week, where multiple US officials, including Gabbard, Ratcliffe, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, and Vice President JD Vance, discussed plans to attack the Houthis.
Goldberg did not share the news until after the attacks were conducted, and the White House says no classified information was shared. Regardless, the leak has become a significant source of contention.
Does Texas have a constitutional right to defy Supreme Court on protecting its border?
"You each testified that there was no classified information," Sen. Kelly began, "So I just want to ask each of you a series of yes or no questions. I will start with Ms. Gabbard: In the Signal chain that we have been talking about, was there any mention of a target in Yemen?"
Gabbard said, "There was discussion around targets in general," which Ratcliffe corroborated.
"Was there any mention, Ms. Gabbard, of a weapon or weapons system?" Sen. Kelly continued, to which Gabbard said she did not recall mention of weapons, nor did Ratcliffe.
The Arizona Senator asked if any discussion of the attacks' timing or specific military units involved, which were both met with similar answers.
"So I understand that [Department of Defense] policy prohibits discussion of even what is called 'controlled unclassified information' or CUI on unsecured devices. Are both of you aware of that DOD policy?" Kelly asked next.
Ratcliffe responded, "I would say that the Secretary of Defense is the original classification authority for DOD in deciding what would be classified information."
Kelly was not satisfied, pushing Gabbard and Ratcliffe to clarify if they would classify such information in the first place, but neither budged.
"I am not talking about this [incident]. I am just talking about deliberation as from principals as to whether or not we should launch a strike on another country. Would you consider that classified information? I am not talking about what happened this week."
Gabbard said, "There are other factors that would go into determining that classification," while Ratcliffe added, "pre-decisional strike deliberation should be conducted through classified channels."
