The hosts of The View sparked debate after reacting to Trump officials’ texting debacle.
Controversy over Trump officials’ group chat mishap
The hosts of “The View” reacted with amusement to a major security blunder involving senior Trump officials.
On Tuesday, Whoopi Goldberg and her co-hosts discussed a private Signal group chat where top administration officials accidentally included a journalist.
The chat revealed discussions about military operations in Yemen.
Participants included Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, and National Security Advisor Michael Waltz.
Critics called it a serious security breach, while Trump and his allies dismissed concerns and criticized the journalist involved.
Whoopi Goldberg suggests jail time for officials
Whoopi Goldberg played past clips of Trump officials emphasizing the importance of classified information.
She then asked the audience, “Should we be saying, ‘Lock them up’?” The crowd responded with cheers.
While, co-host Sunny Hostin suggested officials may have violated the Espionage Act.
She argued that someone could have broken laws about retaining and handling classified records.
“A security breach this significant requires a thorough investigation,” she said. “People can go to jail for something like this.”
Jeffrey Goldberg, editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, received the messages by mistake.
He later stated he would not publish some details due to national security concerns.
Hostin claimed he handled classified information more responsibly than the officials in the chat. Whoopi jokingly referred to him as “her cousin.”
Former Trump aide criticizes use of encrypted chat
Alyssa Farah Griffin, a former Trump aide and Pentagon press secretary, criticized the use of Signal for sensitive discussions.
She pointed out that top administration officials were casually discussing secret war plans in an unsecured chat.
Returning from a commercial break, Goldberg continued laughing. “I don’t know why it’s cracking me up,” she said. Co-host Joy Behar called the situation “sick,” while Hostin described it as “deeply unserious and scary.”
Behar then listed what she considered early “glitches” of the Trump administration. “This guy has to go. I’m sorry,” she declared.
Trump dismisses concerns and defends his team
Despite backlash, Trump does not plan to fire National Security Advisor Mike Waltz.
Fox News reported that Waltz accidentally added The Atlantic’s Goldberg to the group chat.
Trump downplayed the situation, calling it a “mistake” and claiming “nothing important” was shared in the messages.
“The attack was a success,” Trump said, referring to recent U.S. military strikes against Houthis in Yemen.
White House defends officials amid criticism
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt responded with a statement on Tuesday. She criticized Jeffrey Goldberg for “sensationalist spin” and outlined three key points:
1. No classified material was shared in the chat.
2. No actual war plans were discussed.
3. The White House Counsel’s Office had provided secure communication guidance.
The National Security Council confirmed that the messages referenced in The Atlantic report were authentic. However, they insisted the chat did not contain sensitive military details.