CIA Director Ratcliffe hits back on Dem senator's group chat allegations: 'I didn't say any of those things'

CIA Director John Ratcliffe clashed with Democratic Senator Michael Bennet during a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on Tuesday over the leaked Signal chat involving the Trump administration. The chat had been shared among high-ranking officials, including Ratcliffe, and included plans for an airstrike on the Houthis in Yemen, which was accidentally shared with journalist Jeffrey Goldberg.

Bennet pressed Ratcliffe during the hearing, questioning whether there was anything inappropriate about the use of Signal, an encrypted messaging app, for sharing potentially classified security information. Ratcliffe repeatedly denied that the chat included sensitive details or that it violated any protocols. He insisted he didn’t know how Goldberg had been added to the chat and dismissed the suggestion that it was appropriate to discuss national security matters in such a manner.

Bennet, visibly frustrated, criticized the incident as “sloppy” and “incompetent,” calling it an embarrassment to the intelligence community. He demanded that Ratcliffe and other officials do better in handling sensitive information, while also suggesting that National Security Advisor Mike Waltz and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth should resign over the breach.

The exchange highlighted tensions over the mishandling of classified materials and raised questions about the use of non-governmental platforms for official communications. The incident, which had already caused a stir when Goldberg revealed the chat, has led to growing concerns about the Trump administration’s handling of sensitive national security matters. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt attempted to downplay the significance of the leak, emphasizing the effectiveness of the operations discussed.

This article was reported by journalist Jimmy.