Gambiaj.com – (Washington, D.C.) – Top U.S. intelligence officials faced tough questions in the Senate on Tuesday as fallout continued from a leaked group chat in which senior Trump administration officials reportedly discussed sensitive military plans for operations in Yemen.

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and CIA Director John Ratcliffe appeared before the Senate Intelligence Committee, where they were pressed on the leak, which originated from a Signal chat that inadvertently included The Atlantic’s editor-in-chief, Jeffrey Goldberg. The revelation has sparked national security concerns and intensified political tensions in Washington.

The Trump administration, reeling from the damaging report by The Atlantic, has taken a defensive stance, with three senior officials telling CNN that their strategy is to downplay the leak’s significance and discredit Goldberg. Among those involved in the chat were National Security Adviser Michael Waltz, who mistakenly added Goldberg, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who has denied that classified war plans were shared in the conversation.

However, Goldberg has publicly contradicted those claims, telling CNN, “He [Hegseth] was texting attack plans—when targets were going to be targeted, how they were going to be targeted, who was at the targets, when the next sequence of attacks were happening.”

During Tuesday’s hearing, Independent Senator Angus King questioned Gabbard on whether the leaked information should have been classified. Gabbard deflected, stating that the Secretary of Defense would be better positioned to answer.

Meanwhile, the Trump administration’s defiance has extended beyond official statements. Tech mogul Elon Musk posted on X, “The best place to hide a dead body is Page 2 of The Atlantic Magazine,” a remark that Trump later reshared, appearing to make light of the situation.

A Major National Security Breach

The leak is being described as one of the most shocking national security breaches in recent years. National security experts have warned that the casual discussion of military operations in an unclassified messaging app poses a severe risk to American troops and intelligence assets.

“This isn’t just a breach of protocol—it’s reckless endangerment,” a former high-ranking defense official told CNN. “The fact that operational details were shared in an unsecured chat is astonishing.”

According to The Atlantic, Trump administration officials have privately acknowledged the authenticity of the messages but have not provided an explanation for why senior officials were discussing sensitive military operations outside of approved government systems.

Political Repercussions and Calls for Investigation

The revelation has drawn sharp political reactions. Some Republican lawmakers have expressed concerns, while others have refrained from immediate judgment. Democrats, however, are demanding accountability, with leaders in both the House and Senate calling for a bipartisan investigation into the Trump administration’s use of Signal to discuss military matters.

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who endured years of Republican scrutiny over her use of a private email server, responded on X with a pointed remark: “You have got to be kidding me.”

As scrutiny mounts, senior Trump administration officials are reportedly reviewing the use of Signal and the circumstances that led to the leak. Some officials have speculated that disciplinary action, including potential dismissals, could follow.

With national security and political stakes at play, the Senate’s investigation into the leak is expected to intensify in the coming days.