Waltz Faces Senate Scrutiny Over Signalgate Incident

Former national security adviser Mike Waltz faced tough questioning at his Senate confirmation hearing for U.N. ambassador after he added a journalist to a Signal chat discussing a sensitive U.S. military operation. Waltz defended using Signal by citing Biden-era cybersecurity guidance, but senators noted the Department of Defense specifically barred such apps for transmitting sensitive information. Senators Chris Coons and Cory Booker accused Waltz of shifting blame to the Biden administration and misrepresenting the incident, while Booker also criticized him for demeaning the journalist involved and showing no remorse. Waltz asserted that no classified information was compromised and said the White House has concluded its investigation, though a Pentagon probe remains ongoing. The case has intensified debate over secure communication protocols within government. The incident underscores conflicts between cybersecurity guidance and actual security policies.