US: iPhone blamed for including journalist in classified military chats
What's the story
A recent incident involving the US government's use of Signal, an encrypted messaging app, has sparked controversy. National Security Advisor Mike Waltz accidently invited Jeffrey Goldberg, the Editor of The Atlantic magazine, to a confidential chat about a military operation. This error was attributed to an iPhone glitch that allegedly suggested Goldberg's contact number belonged to Brian Hughes, the National Security Council spokesperson.
Confusion
How did the glitch occur?
The glitch occurred when Waltz unknowingly invited the iPhone-suggested contact number to join the chat. This resulted in Goldberg receiving Hughes's invitation to join a Signal conversation with White House advisors. The chat was titled "Houthi PC small group," and discussed plans for a military operation against the Houthis in Yemen.
Fallout
Internal investigation and Trump's response
An internal White House investigation found that Waltz had saved Goldberg's number under Hughes's name. This was one of the many missteps that went unnoticed until Waltz created the group in March. Initially, President Donald Trump thought of firing Waltz for having Goldberg's number saved on his phone, but later changed his mind, saying he doesn't fire people because of fake news or witch hunts.
Official statement
White House defends National Security Advisor
Despite the controversy, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt came out in Waltz's defense. She said the information shared with Goldberg was not classified and expressed confidence in Waltz. Leavitt also said that measures have been implemented to prevent a recurrence of such incidents and considered the matter closed from their perspective.