As the Trump administration tries to downplay the significance of the SignalGate scandal — even as journalist Jeffrey Goldberg released more details on the content of the bombshell Signal chat that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth denied contained “war plans” — top intelligence officials sat for hearings in the House that took on added urgency as questions about the competence of the U.S. national security team swirled among Democrats and Republicans.
Goldberg at first withheld the full chat specifics, opting — because the information was so sensitive — to describe rather than share the chat transcript. But after numerous Trump administration officials repeated Hegseth’s assertion that nothing in the messages was “classified” — Goldberg published the texts.
In congressional hearings in the aftermath of Goldberg’s revelation, Rep. Julio Castro (D-TX) directly addressed FBI Director Kash Patel, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, and CIA Director John Ratcliffe — noting that he had worked with them on the Intelligence Committee as a congressman. Castro plainly called out their collective denial as a “lie to the country.”
Castro: The idea that this information, if it was presented to our committee, would not be classified is a lie. It’s is a lie to the country. pic.twitter.com/vtEFaQczI5
— Acyn (@Acyn) March 26, 2025
Referencing the specific content of the Signal chat, which enumerated a detailed military strike plan before it happened, Castro said to all three officials: “The idea that this information, if it was presented to our committee would not be classified, you all know is a lie. That’s ridiculous. I’ve seen things much less sensitive be presented to us with high classification. And to say that it isn’t is a lie to the country.”
Castro’s questioning was similar to that of Rep. Jim Himes (D-CT) as he interrogated Gabbard in a follow-up to her previous testimony. Gabbard equivocates in the exchange below:
Gabbard: My answer yesterday was based on my recollection or the lack thereof, on the details that were posted there I was not. And the what was shared today reflects the fact that I was not directly involved with that part of the signal chat pic.twitter.com/H9SsTwqpq3
— Acyn (@Acyn) March 26, 2025
Himes is referencing testimony below, in which Gabbard specifically said she had no knowledge of the specific content of the messages released today. Ratcliffe said the same.
Yesterday, I asked Directors Ratcliffe and Gabbard if their Signal chat included information on weapons packages, targets, or timing.
Director Ratcliffe: “Not that I’m aware of.”
Director Gabbard: “Not to my knowledge.”
Interesting. pic.twitter.com/Vy93S5iVlr
— Martin Heinrich (@SenatorHeinrich) March 26, 2025