Explaining the Signal Group Mix-Up
In an interview with Laura Ingraham on Fox News, Mike Waltz, the National Security Adviser, firmly denied ever texting or knowing Jeffrey Goldberg, the influential editor of The Atlantic. Goldberg was somehow added to Waltz’s Signal group chat. The group was created to discuss military strikes in Yemen. Waltz said, “We’re going to get to the bottom of it.” He vowed to investigate how Goldberg ended up in the private conversation.
Waltz added, “I just talked to Elon Musk on the way here.” He was referring to the president’s senior adviser. He suggested that the technical experts were already on the case. They were trying to figure out how Goldberg’s contact information appeared in the chat. Despite this claim of a technical glitch, Waltz offered a simpler explanation.
A Mix-Up with Phone Contacts
Waltz explained, “Have you ever had somebody’s contact that shows their name, and then you have somebody else’s number there?” He claimed that he intended to add a different person to the chat. He thought he had done so, but mistakenly inserted Goldberg’s phone number under another person’s name in his phone contacts. Waltz’s story suggests a mix-up in his contacts. But it raises questions about his previous statements regarding his relationship with Goldberg. 
This explanation contradicts his earlier claims that he does not know Goldberg. During the same interview, Waltz reassured Ingraham, “I don’t text him. He wasn’t on my phone, and we’re going to figure out how this happened.” Waltz maintained that he had never communicated with Goldberg. This leaves some doubts about the true nature of the contact mix-up.
Who’s to Blame?
Earlier, NBC News reported that an aide to Waltz was responsible for adding Goldberg’s number to the group chat. However, Waltz told Ingraham that no one on his staff was at fault. He said, “Well, look, a staffer wasn’t responsible, and I take full responsibility. I built the group.” His response seems to shift the blame onto himself. But he simultaneously maintains that no one else was involved in the error.
