As repercussions from the Signal scandal continue to unfold, several intelligence agency leaders are set to provide testimony before Congress this week. These leaders, some of whom were part of a group chat that inadvertently leaked military plans to a journalist, will be addressing questions from lawmakers.
Among those testifying will be CIA Director John Ratcliffe and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, who are scheduled to appear as witnesses in hearings before the intelligence committees of the Senate on Tuesday and the House on Wednesday. Also expected to testify are FBI Director Kash Patel, Defense Intelligence Agency Director Jeffrey Kruse, and Timothy Haugh, the head of the National Security Agency and Central Security Service.
The hearings, which were originally planned to showcase an annual assessment of worldwide threats to U.S. national security from countries like China, Russia, and Iran, will likely now also address domestic security concerns stemming from the inadvertent sharing of sensitive information. These sessions will be accessible via livestream on YouTube.
The situation came to light following the revelation by Jeffrey Goldberg, editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, that he had been mistakenly added to a group chat on the encrypted messaging app Signal, which contained highly sensitive discussions about U.S. military plans involving airstrikes in Yemen. Ratcliffe and Gabbard were identified among the 18 participants of the chat, which included other senior government officials.
The White House confirmed the existence of the message thread, explaining that it is investigating how an unintended number was added to the group. President Trump stated he was unaware of the incident, while Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth insisted that no actual war plans were discussed in the chat.
The security breach has been met with bipartisan criticism. Democratic lawmakers have called for an investigation and disciplinary action against those involved in the breach. These hearings will offer Congress an opportunity to directly question intelligence leaders about the incident.
Notably, some national security experts have expressed concern about the use of a public messaging app for such sensitive discussions, as it contradicts established protocols that require these conversations to occur in secure facilities. A 2023 Department of Defense memo had specifically mentioned Signal as an unauthorized platform for non-public defense information.
Critics, including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, are demanding accountability, with some calling for the revocation of security clearances for those involved. Representative Eric Swalwell has voiced strong criticism on social media, while Republican lawmakers such as Senator Roger Wicker, Representative Don Bacon, and Representative Mike Lawler have also expressed concerns over the breach, emphasizing the need for accountability and preventing similar incidents in the future.
