National Security Advisor Mike Waltz has been axed after accidentally adding a journalist to a Signal chat about bombing Yemen – proving once again that in Washington, it’s not the incompetence that gets you fired, it’s getting caught.
At a Glance
- National Security Adviser Mike Waltz and his deputy Alex Wong are leaving their positions after the embarrassing “Signalgate” scandal
- Waltz accidentally added Atlantic editor Jeffrey Goldberg to a Signal group chat sharing sensitive information about US strikes in Yemen
- Trump initially stood by Waltz, calling him “a very good man,” but internal power struggles and the high-profile blunder ultimately led to his dismissal
- Real estate developer and Trump ally Steve Witkoff is reportedly under consideration to replace Waltz
The First Major Casualty of Trump’s Second Term
In what should surprise absolutely no one with a functioning brain, National Security Adviser Mike Waltz and his deputy Alex Wong are being shown the door after Waltz committed perhaps the most amateur security blunder possible – accidentally adding a liberal journalist to a sensitive group chat about military operations. This stunning display of incompetence marks the first major staffing shakeup of Trump’s second term, proving that even in an administration committed to draining the swamp, some folks manage to drain themselves.
The scandal, dubbed “Signalgate” by those who apparently can’t resist slapping “-gate” onto every Washington mishap, erupted when Waltz inadvertently added Jeffrey Goldberg, editor of The Atlantic, to a Signal group chat discussing sensitive military plans against Houthi rebels in Yemen. You know, just casually looping in a journalist from one of the most liberal publications in America on conversations about bombing terrorists. What could possibly go wrong?
The Revolving Door Starts Spinning
While President Trump initially showed support for Waltz after an internal review deemed the security breach a “mistake” rather than intentional sabotage, the damage was already done. Sources report that Waltz and Wong were formally informed this week that their time at the National Security Council was ending. The White House has been scrambling to contain the fallout, with Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt still insisting just days ago that the President had “the utmost confidence in Mike Waltz and his entire national security team.”
“has the utmost confidence in Mike Waltz and his entire national security team.” – White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.
Translation: Start updating your resume, Mike. Nothing says “you’re fired” quite like a public vote of confidence from the White House press secretary. It’s the political equivalent of a football team owner declaring he has “full confidence” in the head coach right before showing him the door. The administration’s new talking point might as well be “we had the utmost confidence… until we didn’t.”
A Perfect Storm of Incompetence and Internal Power Struggles
Signalgate wasn’t the only factor in Waltz’s downfall. Reports indicate his position was already unstable due to strained relationships with Trump’s chief of staff, Susie Wiles, and other senior officials. Waltz had apparently been seeking advice from Vice President JD Vance on how to improve relations, receiving the sage wisdom that he should be more deferential to Wiles. Because nothing says “America First” like a national security advisor playing high school politics instead of, you know, securing the nation.
“Trump’s “America First” agenda.” – Donald Trump.
To make matters worse, Waltz faced criticism for being perceived as a war hawk, which conflicted with Trump’s more restrained foreign policy vision. Conservative commentators Steve Bannon and Laura Loomer led campaigns against Waltz and Wong, with Loomer making accusations about Wong having loyalties to China. Because what’s a good Washington firing without some unsubstantiated allegations thrown in for spice? Real estate developer and Trump ally Steve Witkoff is reportedly under consideration to replace Waltz, because apparently what we need for national security is… a real estate developer?
The Swamp’s Security Standards
What’s truly remarkable about this whole debacle is the selective outrage in Washington. Senator Mark Kelly, a Democrat who never saw a Republican he didn’t want to criticize, suggested “they fired the wrong guy,” apparently forgetting that accidentally adding journalists to national security chats is generally considered a fireable offense in any competent administration. Meanwhile, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also faced pressure over the incident but remains in his position – for now.
“I think they’re holding the wrong guy accountable … I think they fired the wrong guy.” – Democratic Senator Mark Kelly.
The Trump administration has downplayed the security risks, stating no classified information was shared – which is what they always say, isn’t it? Yet Waltz is packing his bags anyway, learning the hard way that in Washington, sometimes the penalty for incompetence is actually losing your job. It’s a novel concept for the Beltway crowd, but one that might just catch on if we’re lucky. The “Signalgate” saga serves as a reminder that even in Trump’s America, basic competence in handling sensitive information remains a minimum job requirement for national security positions.
