U.S. President Donald Trump has fired National Security Adviser Michael Waltz following a controversy involving the accidental inclusion of a civilian journalist in a Signal group chat where sensitive military operations in Yemen were discussed.
Alongside Mr. Waltz, his deputy Alex Wong was also relieved of his duties as the fallout from the leak continued to cause embarrassment for the Trump administration.
Initially, President Trump expressed support for Waltz, calling him a “good man” who had “learnt his lesson.” However, growing doubts about Waltz’s leadership and his capacity to safeguard national security eventually led to his dismissal.
The controversy intensified on March 24 when The Atlantic journalist Jeffrey Goldberg published a report exposing the mishap—Mr. Waltz had mistakenly added Goldberg to a high-level Signal group chat. That chat reportedly included key government figures such as Vice President J.D. Vincent and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
Although the initial article refrained from revealing sensitive information, public comments by Defense Secretary Hegseth, insisting that nothing confidential was exposed, prompted Goldberg to clarify that military tactics pertaining to U.S. operations in Yemen had, in fact, been discussed in the group.
President Trump is now searching for a replacement for Waltz, a position once held by Matt Gaetz. The administration has not released an official statement on potential successors.
The Signal leak has drawn intense scrutiny, raising broader concerns about cybersecurity and communication protocols within the highest levels of the U.S. government.
