The accidental inclusion of The Atlantic editor Jeffrey Goldberg in a Signal group chat discussing U.S. military strikes against Yemen’s Houthi rebels has ignited a political firestorm, with Fox News host framing the incident as part of a broader effort by liberal media to undermine former President Donald Trump. Here’s the breakdown:
### The Signal Chat Incident
National Security Adviser Michael Waltz initially took responsibility for adding Goldberg to the chat, which included operational details about strike timing, weapon systems, and targets. Trump later suggested a staffer’s error or a “bad signal” caused the mishap, while Goldberg denied hacking and asserted Waltz directly invited him. Despite claims of “no classified information” being shared, leaked screenshots revealed sensitive discussions about military strategies.
### Ingraham’s Critique of Goldberg
Ingraham and her guests dismissed the leak as overhyped, arguing:
– : Goldberg, a “registered Democrat and anti-Trump sensationalist,” allegedly exaggerated the story to damage Trump ahead of the 2024 election. Ingraham contrasted the coverage with what she called the media’s silence on President Biden’s classified document mishandling.
– : Republicans like Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) dismissed the leak as trivial, calling it Democrats “griping about who’s on a text message” instead of addressing Trump’s “successful” counterterrorism policies.
– : Ingraham highlighted that no American lives were endangered, unlike what she characterized as Biden’s reckless storage of classified files.
### Conservative Defense of Trump
– : Fox’s Pete Hegseth argued the chat contained “general updates” for coordination, not classified plans, and accused Goldberg of peddling “sensationalist spin”.
– : The administration and GOP lawmakers downplayed the leak as a minor error, emphasizing Trump’s “stunning victory” in restoring American strength abroad.
### The Bottom Line
The incident underscores the polarized media landscape, with conservatives dismissing the leak as a politically motivated “hoax” while Democrats call it a security failure. Ingraham’s coverage reinforces the narrative that Trump’s critics leverage minor missteps to distract from his policy successes.
