Dems Seek Transcript of Signal Chat as WH Also Faces Questions From the Right

The White House is facing questions from its own right flank over the use of the Signal app to discuss military action while Senate Democrats continued their assault over the snafu Thursday, demanding the full, unredacted transcript of the exchange that included in the thread the editor of a left-leaning magazine.

Some Senate Republicans are backing calls for further investigation into how Atlantic editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg ended up being on the receiving end of military tactics against Houthi terrorists but also why Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and National Security Adviser Mike Waltz were using Signal in the first place.

"I can't see any rationale for the kind of conversation that took place over Signal for not taking place in a more secure manner than that. I think that's hard to explain," Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., told CNN.

Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, told CNN, "I think we should look into it."

Meanwhile, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., again called for the firing of Hegseth while demanding the release of the full, unredacted transcript of the Signal exchange discussing military action.

"What we learned yesterday regarding the information he shared on Signal is shocking. He sent very specific details about military plans over unsecured text messages," Schumer said Thursday on the Senate floor. "We need answers, more answers, because more damage may have been done than the public and all of us know.

"That's why my colleagues and I are calling on the Trump administration to release the full and unredacted text conversation from this Signal chat, including everything communicated after the journalist prudently removed himself," he added.

President Donald Trump told Newsmax on Tuesday night that he was "very comfortable" with the explanation from Hegseth and Waltz about how it happened that Goldberg was invited into the group thread. Trump on Wednesday called the uproar a "witch hunt."

Hegseth took to X on Wednesday to accuse Goldberg and the mainstream media of peddling hoaxes.

"The Atlantic released the so-called 'war plans' and those 'plans' include: No names. No targets. No locations. No units. No routes. No sources. No methods. And no classified information. This only proves one thing: Jeff Goldberg has never seen a war plan or an 'attack plan,'" he posted.

Regardless, Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Roger Wicker, R-Miss., said Wednesday he would seek an independent report from the Trump administration.

And Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., said what was discussed was "inappropriate for that platform."

"Whether it's considered quote classified or just highly sensitive, it was too detailed — whether you call it a war plan or not, it's just too detailed to pretend it wasn't a big deal," he told CNN.