Sen. Angus King (I-ME) expressed frustration on Tuesday following a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing, criticizing the evasive responses provided by top Trump administration officials regarding allegations of leaked classified information. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and CIA Director John Ratcliffe testified before the committee to address claims of sensitive war plans discussed in a Signal messaging group.
The hearing was sparked by a recent report from The Atlantic, alleging that Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth had shared classified details concerning military strikes against Houthi forces in Yemen. Notably, the Signal group chat reportedly included a journalist, unintentionally exposing sensitive national security discussions, reports Reuters.
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Both Gabbard and Ratcliffe disputed claims that the leaked information was classified but refused to provide details about the conversations or clarify specifics, citing security reasons. This refusal frustrated Sen. King, who expressed skepticism over their transparency.
“I think they’re not being up-front about it, and I think it would be much better if they acknowledged this was a huge mistake,” King told reporters following the hearing. “It won’t happen again, and what they’re doing to try and prevent it rather than all of this dancing around.”
King further voiced disappointment at Gabbard’s refusal to answer even basic questions, such as the type of phone she used for the chat. “I mean, that’s a pretty easy question,” he remarked sharply.
Reflecting on officials’ evasive behavior during the hearing, King speculated, “they are embarrassed,” adding from experience, it would be wiser to admit errors candidly rather than “play the kind of games they were playing today.”
As a member of both the Senate Intelligence and Armed Services Committees, King indicated his desire to hear directly from Defense Secretary Hegseth about the issue. However, he acknowledged that discussions with Armed Services Committee chairman Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS) have yet to occur.
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When confronted with Hegseth’s apparent attempt to blame the journalist included in the Signal group, King criticized this approach, calling it akin to trying to “shoot the messenger.” “This is a very serious issue, and it should be treated as such. Not something that should be obscured, danced around [or] avoided,” he asserted firmly.
King concluded by suggesting the officials should have opened the hearing by acknowledging the problem straightforwardly, offering an apology, and reassuring the committee that appropriate corrective measures would be implemented to prevent future incidents.
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