WASHINGTON – During a heated confirmation hearing, former Trump national security adviser Michael Waltz assured senators that no classified information was discussed in a controversial Signal chat he initiated for top U.S. officials prior to military strikes. Testifying before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on July 15 as part of his nomination for United Nations ambassador, Waltz stated that guidance from the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) under the Biden administration recommended the use of Signal for both personal and professional communication. He emphasized that the use of Signal was not only authorized but also highly encouraged.
Waltz clarified that he was not dismissed from the White House and remained on the payroll even after being removed from his national security adviser role by Trump. The hearing also touched upon Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth inadvertently sharing operation details on a commercially available encrypted app and Waltz mistakenly adding a journalist to the conversation, resulting in internal investigations.
Democratic senators pressed Waltz on taking accountability for the incident. Senator Chris Coons expressed disappointment and sought a sense of regret from Waltz for sharing sensitive military information on a public app. Senator Tim Kaine acknowledged no evidence of Waltz personally disclosing classified information in the chat but highlighted ongoing Defense Department investigations.
Senator Cory Booker criticized Waltz for failing to take responsibility and attempting to shift blame. Booker cited Waltz’s earlier acknowledgment of responsibility for the incident, which was attributed to a phone malfunction. The senator accused Waltz of denying, deflecting, and disparaging those who exposed the truth. Booker characterized Waltz’s response as lacking integrity and displaying cowardice, stating he could not support his nomination.
During the confirmation hearing, Booker took up most of his allotted time to address criticisms of Waltz, leaving the former Republican congressman no immediate chance to respond. However, shortly after, in reply to another senator’s inquiry, Waltz expressed gratitude for the men and women he had led in combat, asserting, “The last thing they would call me is a coward.”
Contrary to rumors, Waltz clarified that he was not terminated from his position at the White House. A former Green Beret and Florida representative, he had resigned from Congress to join the Trump administration, serving as national security adviser for approximately three months. Trump subsequently reorganized his team, appointing Secretary of State Marco Rubio as acting national security adviser on May 1.
During a confrontation with Sen. Jacky Rosen at his United Nations hearing, Waltz refuted claims of his dismissal by Trump, stating, “I was not fired. The president or vice president never indicated so. I continued as an adviser, overseeing various important projects.”
After inadvertently adding Goldberg to a sensitive group chat, Trump dismissed numerous staff members and restructured the National Security Council. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer criticized Waltz in a floor speech on the hearing day, holding him accountable for the Signal incident and asserting that he was part of a team that mismanaged national security at the start of the administration.
Schumer emphasized that Waltz needed to acknowledge these failures and demonstrate readiness for collaboration with partners and confrontation with adversaries at the UN.
