Republican calls for an investigation into a group chat where White House national security officials shared sensitive military details have been intensifying, with Oklahoma Senator James Lankford stating that an inquiry would be “entirely appropriate.
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While Lankford did not call for any resignations during his Sunday interview with CNN, he joined other Republicans who have distanced themselves from President Donald Trump over the issue.
The Trump administration has downplayed the significance of unclassified Signal messages in which officials, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, discussed potentially classified information regarding a planned attack on Yemen.
Democrats, however, have called for Hegseth and others involved to step down.
Lankford’s comments align with those of fellow Republican Senator and Armed Services Chair Roger Wicker, who earlier called for the U.S. Department of Defense’s inspector general to investigate the incident.
Wicker’s letter emphasized concerns about the use of unclassified networks like Signal to discuss sensitive military information, especially with a journalist, The Atlantic’s editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg, included in the chat.
National Security Advisor Mike Waltz appears to have inadvertently added Goldberg to the chat, where the officials discussed a planned military operation.
On Sunday, Lankford emphasized the need for an independent investigation, specifically asking how Goldberg gained access to the chat and questioning how administration officials communicate sensitive information outside of secure, classified settings.
Lankford, however, downplayed calls for Hegseth’s resignation, describing it as “overkill,” and dismissed the issue as one of leadership. He argued that the group believed they were using a secure messaging platform, and didn’t see it as a major problem.
Lankford and Wicker are among the few Republican lawmakers pushing for a probe into the matter.
The controversy was first reported by The Atlantic after Goldberg joined the group chat, where officials discussed an upcoming military strike against Houthi rebels in Yemen. The magazine later published the entire conversation, revealing detailed information about the air raids planned for March.
Following the incident, Waltz took full responsibility, stating that he created the chat group and calling Goldberg’s involvement “embarrassing.” Waltz was unable to explain how Goldberg gained access but clarified that Goldberg had replaced another contact who was supposed to be in the chat.
Goldberg, however, told NBC that Waltz’s claim of never meeting him was “simply not true.”
Trump described the incident as a “glitch” and downplayed its impact, maintaining that the military strike was a success despite the mishap.
However, former national security officials have expressed concern over the potential risks of allowing the matter to go unaddressed, warning that it could embolden adversaries to exploit vulnerabilities in U.S. communications.
Sue Gordon, former Deputy Director of National Intelligence, told CBS News that while the operation was successful, the breach of security should not be overlooked. She emphasized that it’s unclear whether the communication channel has been compromised by foreign actors.
These concerns have prompted calls for accountability, with Senate Intelligence Committee Vice Chair Mark Warner arguing that a CIA officer or military official would be dismissed for mishandling classified information in a similar way. He called for the resignation or firing of Hegseth and Waltz, warning that failure to act would send the wrong message to the workforce.
Trump, however, dismissed calls for action, saying he would not fire anyone involved in the incident and expressed continued confidence in Waltz.
Along with Waltz and Hegseth, the chat also included Vice President JD Vance, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, and other senior officials.