Tulsi Gabbard Admits Signal Chat Mishap Was 'Mistake' But Doubles Down on Claim No Classified Info Was Shared

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard acknowledged on Wednesday before the House Intelligence Committee that it was a "mistake" for a journalist to be inadvertently included in a Signal chat with high-ranking national security officials discussing imminent U.S. strikes against the Houthis in Yemen. However, she maintained that no classified information was disclosed in the communications.

"The president and National Security Adviser Waltz held a press conference with a clear message," Gabbard said during the hearing. "It was a mistake that a reporter was inadvertently added to a Signal chat with high-level national security principals having a policy discussion about imminent strikes."

Gabbard added that the National Security Council is conducting an in-depth review of the incident.

Despite admitting the mishap, Gabbard doubled down on claims made by Administration officials on Tuesday's hearing by saying that "no classified information was shared" in the Signal chat.

"There were no sources, methods, locations, or war plans that were shared." Gabbard described the conversation as "candid and sensitive" but said it was a routine update to the national security cabinet, similar to information shared with foreign partners.

On Tuesday, Gabbard told senators that no details regarding timing, targets, or weapons had been revealed in the chat. However, The Atlantic published a transcript of the messages Wednesday morning, showing that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had, in fact, shared such details ahead of the strikes.

When asked by Representative Jim Himes why her testimony contradicted the published transcript, Gabbard replied:

"My answer yesterday was based on my recollection, or the lack thereof, on the details that were posted there. ... What was shared today reflects the fact that I was not directly involved with that part of the Signal chat and replied at the end, reflecting the effects, the very brief effects that the national security advisor had shared"

Other officials in the administration have shared similar messages, asserting there was no wrongdoing in the app, which is not cleared by the federal government as a proper channel of communication to share classified information. For instance, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, who was in the text chain, testified before Congress Tuesday, saying the online conversation was "completely appropriate."

Following the administration's messaging, The Atlantic released more of the group chat among the senior officials, showing the content of the discussion of U.S. military plans to strike Houthi targets in Yemen. The publication had initially withheld details of the strike plans, saying the information was sensitive.

The new messages, which include screenshots of the full chat on the messaging app, make clear that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth included specific details of the timing of the launches from aircraft carriers of the U.S. military jets that were to strike Houthi targets.