Let’s get yesterday’s headline out of the way, and another rule of Lawler.
Trump’s national security advisor, Michael Waltz, used the popular messaging app, Signal, to chat with top administration officials about plans for an air strike on the Houthis in Yemen. And he mistakenly included Jeffrey Goldberg, the editor in chief of The Atlantic magazine, in the group chat.
The first clear breach of national security was to use a third party messaging app to share this sensitive information. On this point, all who participated were guilty, from the Vice President to the Secretary of Defense. None of them questioned the use of Signal as they chatted, including the post-strike high fives and emojis.
Of course they should have known there was something wrong here. The national security advisor from Trump’s first term, John Bolton, opined: “These are things that are absolutely basic. Yet these are Cabinet-level people in our government, and … not one of them ever said, ‘Why are we on Signal?”
The second breach was the reckless inclusion of a journalist in the group chat. Here again, none of the players here looked around the chat room and asked — who’s that guy and why is he here?
As with so much of what we’re witnessing with this administration, the behavior is shocking but not surprising. No need for those at the top to comply if it slows them down. No need to even understand the job requirements.
The most disturbing part of this episode has been the response, starting with Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth: “So you’re talking about a deceitful and highly discredited so-called journalist . . . . that pedals in garbage.” And Michael Waltz calling Goldberg “the bottom scum of journalists.” And our esteemed President calling The Atlantic “a magazine that’s going out of business, . . . . not much of a magazine.” In Trump world, any journalism critical of Trump is garbage.
Whatever your thoughts of Goldberg or The Atlantic, the facts are the facts. To lead with criticism of the journalist who was invited into the chat room doesn’t seem like the most responsible reaction.
Trump and his team quickly followed with denials of the significance of the leak. No classified information, nothing to see here but a successful bombing campaign. I invite you to read the full contents of the group chat and form your own opinion.
As for accountability, Trump quickly concluded: “Michael Waltz has learned a lesson, and he’s a good man.” No harm, no foul. We all make mistakes. This from the man who got elected shouting “Lock her up” over Hillary Clinton’s emailing classified information that was nowhere near as sensitive. The man who stored boxes of classified information in his bathroom at Mar-a-Lago.
There is so much that should trouble us here, and it’s all being covered breathlessly by the press. But let me get to Mike Lawler. He actually acknowledged the seriousness of the breach and provided a link to The Atlantic article without denigrating the journalist or the magazine.
But let me contrast it with the response by the Democratic Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Gregory Meeks, who called for a full committee hearing, and for Pete Hegseth to resign.
The rule of Lawler on display here is to demonstrate independence when it’s easy, and when you have plenty of cover. Like Lindsay Graham. What Lawler says in his post is undeniable. And best I can tell, he only posted it on his personal account on X, which is owned by his benefactor Elon Musk. Look under “Latest News” on Lawler’s official site, and you’ll see: “Congressman Lawler Backs Efforts To Lower Egg Prices And Ease Burden On Families.” You may know my feeling about eggs.
Does Lawler call for a hearing by his own committee, like Meeks? He simply says that safeguards must be put in place. And what do you know, Musk is on the job to make sure a breach like this never happens again.
Rule of Lawler 