On Tuesday, Democratic senators expressed concern over a potential breach of national security following revelations that the editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, Jeffrey Goldberg, was added to a Signal group chat discussing U.S. airstrikes in Yemen.

The event raised alarms regarding the handling of classified information among top officials of the previous Trump administration, including Vice-President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

Goldberg's admission of participation in the chat emerged in his Monday article, where he described observing a discussion among officials that included coordination of bombings targeting the Houthis in Yemen.

Donald Trump defended his national security adviser, Michael Waltz, who reportedly facilitated Goldberg's entry into the chat.

During the Senate Intelligence Committee hearing addressing annual threats to the U.S., Tulsi Gabbard, the Director of National Intelligence, and John Ratcliffe, the CIA Director, were questioned about the implications of the chat.

Gabbard faced inquiries regarding the sensitive nature of discussions held in the chat, refraining from answering many questions by indicating they were under review by the National Security Council.

Gabbard did clarify that the dialogue in the chat reflected the objectives of national security leaders and the Vice President.

When pressed for details about her communication methods, Gabbard declined to confirm whether a personal or government device was used, citing the ongoing review.

In response to inquiries from Senator Mark Warner, Ratcliffe acknowledged his presence in the group but noted that the Signal app was approved for governmental communication by the Biden administration, asserting that his communications were lawful and did not include classified information.

However, National Public Radio reported that a recent warning from the Department of Defense advised against using Signal due to security vulnerabilities, specifically citing threats from Russian hacking groups.

Questions also arose regarding the locations and devices used by Gabbard and Trump's Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, during their involvement in the chat.

Flight records and Russian media indicated that Witkoff was in Moscow at the time, while Gabbard disclosed that she had been traveling abroad in Japan, Thailand, and India during the relevant period.

Senator Michael Bennet criticized Ratcliffe for what he perceived as a negligent approach to cybersecurity, questioning why the presence of Goldberg in the chat had not been flagged as a concern.

The senator characterized the situation as emblematic of broader issues within the CIA and intelligence community, expressing disappointment with the perceived failure to protect sensitive information.

FBI Director Kash Patel admitted to learning about the leak only the night before and remained uncertain regarding any potential investigation by the agency.

Conversely, Republicans appeared less focused on the Signal chat controversy, with many opting to address the matter privately.

As the hearing concluded, Senator Jon Ossoff directly challenged Ratcliffe to acknowledge the gravity of the situation, which Ratcliffe declined to label as a significant error.

Ossoff expressed frustration at the lack of accountability and recognition concerning the incident.