Some of Donald Trump's most ardent backers are voicing frustration with his team's refusal to admit fault over the Signal intelligence breach, a rare crack in the president's wall of support.
More from the article...
... Trump's demand for loyalty above all else has been a defining feature of his political career, even more so in his second White House term. Until this week, his fellow Republicans have largely fallen in line, even as he pushed the limits of his presidential powers, wrested some spending authority from Congress and demolished former sacred cows for US conservatives, such as free trade.
Yet the disclosure of US military attack plans -- and the White House's bombastic cleanup effort -- has proved too much to bear for some of the president's allies. The crisis, now in its fourth day, has triggered an outcry from Republican members of Congress, GOP strategists, online influencers and friendly media figures, even Dave Portnoy of Barstool Sports, who have grown weary of a crisis they say is of the Trump team's own making.
"Trying to wordsmith the hell outta this signal debacle is making it worse," Tomi Lahren, the Fox Nation host and strident conservative commentator, wrote on X. "It was bad. And I'm honestly getting sick of the whataboutisms from my own side."
Lahren's comment was just one of a growing chorus among Republicans who have joined Democrats in voicing anger over the incident, in which someone -- apparently White House National Security Advisor Michael Waltz -- inadvertently added the top editor of The Atlantic to a Signal group chat discussing plans to bomb Houthi militants in Yemen.
It wasn't even that mistake, according to some Republicans, that was the problem. Rather, they said, it was the refusal by Trump or other top officials on the chat to admit they'd done anything wrong, even after The Atlantic published a transcript of the group chat among the top officials. ...
Related ...
Former national security officials say air strike plans shared with journalist should have been classified
www.nbcnews.com
... A guide from the national intelligence director's office says "information providing indication or warning that the U.S. or its allies are preparing an attack" should be top secret. ...
"I don't think there is any question that we are dealing with classified information," Leon Panetta, a former CIA director and defense secretary, told MSNBC on Tuesday.
Plans for possible military operations are kept strictly secret because the Defense Department "recognizes that if that information were to leak to an adversary, that it would not only cost lives but would damage our national security," Panetta said. ...
The three other officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity citing fears of retaliation, said it would be difficult to imagine a scenario in which details of a planned military operation would not be considered classified.
Sharing sensitive information in advance of an operation could put pilots flying fighter jets or the crews of warships launching missiles at risk or even imperil the mission itself, former officials said.
According to a Pentagon manual on classification, significant military plans or intelligence matters are defined as "secret" and their disclosure could cause "serious damage to operations, assets or individuals." ...
Related ...
Armed Services chair: Strike plans in Signal chat should have been classified
thehill.com
... Senate Armed Services Committee Chair Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) said Wednesday he believes the information detailing the attack plan against the Houthis in Yemen should have been classified.
Wicker told reporters that the plans Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth laid out via a Signal chat, which included when fighter jets would take off and drone strikes would drop over the region, were sensitive enough to warrant that level of classification.
"The information as published recently appears to me to be of such a sensitive nature that, based on my knowledge, I would have wanted it classified," Wicker said at the Capitol. ...
It looks like Pres Trump is looking for someone to throw under the bus to try to make this go away.
From a couple days ago...
... Mr. Trump told reporters at the White House that the information that was discussed on the 18-member group chat, which included high-ranking officials like Vice President JD Vance and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, was not classified and said Waltz is a "very good man" who will "continue to do a good job."
"I don't think he should apologize. I think he's doing his best," the president said of Waltz. "It's equipment and technology that's not perfect and probably he won't be using it again, at least not in the very near future." ...
And more recently...
Trump changes his tune on Signalgate: I always thought it was Mike'
www.politico.com
... President Donald Trump tentatively blamed national security adviser Mike Waltz for the Signal leak scandal -- while continuing to vigorously defend Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth -- during a Wednesday evening executive order signing.
"Mike Waltz, I guess he said, he claimed responsibility," Trump said.
"I would imagine it had nothing to do with anyone else. It was Mike, I guess I don't know. I always thought it was Mike." ...
Is Susan Collins concerned yet?
#7 | Posted by qcp
When she reaches Level 4 of her Susan Collins threat advisory system LOL
@#35 ... No you don't. You leave it to some drunken Fox weekend host, who put classified information on a non-secure platform. ...
Nat King Cole - Bring Another Drink (1945)
www.youtube.com
Lyrics excerpt ...
...
Last night we had a party
With some mellow chicks
At the gin mill down the street
Just to get some kicks
We sat down at the table
The cover was a deuce
The bad was swingin', in the mood
"Bring us all some juice"
We started lushin', the chicks got high
But they weren't high enough
'Cause we whispered love words in their ears
The chicks got rough, awful stuff
So let this be a lesson
You better stop and think
Before you whisper in her ear
Bring another drink
...
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