U.S. President Donald Trump has defended his National Security Adviser, Mike Waltz, amid controversy surrounding the Signal app scandal.
Trump described Waltz as a “good man” who has “learned a lesson” following the incident.
His remarks come as pressure mounts for Waltz to resign, with a White House official reportedly referring to him as a “f***ing idiot.”
The controversy arose when Waltz mistakenly included Atlantic magazine’s editor-in-chief, Jeffrey Goldberg, in a text group discussing plans to bomb the Houthis in Yemen.
Speaking to NBC News, Trump said, “Michael Waltz has learned a lesson, and he’s a good man.” He also shifted blame to Waltz’s staff for the error.
When asked how Goldberg ended up in the Signal chat, Trump responded, “It was one of Michael’s people on the phone. A staffer had his number on there.”
The Signal group, titled “Houthi PC small group,” granted Goldberg access to discussions involving Waltz, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Vice President JD Vance, and other high-ranking administration officials.