Trump -Employees’ signal chat ‘could have ended with lost American lives’: Sen. Warner

Senator Mark Warner, D-VA., Said Sunday that if Information was leaked from Top Trump National Security Officials’ signal chat, discussing plans to beat the Houthis in Yemen, American life could have been lost.

“I was yesterday, down in Hampton Roads. I made two major town hall, Virginia Beach and Chesapeake. There are people in the town hall who are either friends or relatives of people who are on [aircraft carrier USS Harry S.] Truman. These people said that if their friends or loved ones fly these jets and this information had been released and the Houthis were able to change their defensive attitude, we could have lost American life, “Warner, the ranking Democrat of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said in an interview with Co-anchor Martha Raddatz at ABC News'” this week. “

On Monday, the Atlantic editor-in-chief revealed that national security adviser Mike Waltz had inadvertently included him in the chat, with the top Trump officials discussing plans for the Yemen attack. The Trump administration has pushed back against claims that the information included in the chat was classified information.

Warner said, “There is no doubt, regardless of agency, that this was classified … and the people who blame and give them the benefit of the doubt, I think they are lying that they should know that this is classified.”

The Republican Rep. Mike Turner, a former chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, and former NATO’s top allied commander James Stavridis also weighed in on the signal chat on “This week.”

Here are highlights from Warner, Turner and Stavridis’ interviews:

Warner about whether the information in the chat was classified

Raddatz: “There have been very strong denials from the administration that something was classified. So simply was this classified information or not?”

Warner: “Absolutely. It was of such a kind when you made the actual battle plans and the timing, what type of aircraft was sent out. If you had been a traditional military officer or a CIA case treat, and you were this slurry and careless with this classified information, you would be fired, no doubt about it.”

Warner about Bondi’s response

Attorney General Pam Bondi told Fox News that she thinks signal is a sure way to communicate and cannot hack of foreign opponents.

Raddatz: “Is that true?”

Warner: “The signal is safer than your normal mobile phones. It’s encrypted. But if Mrs. Bondi had looked at any of the instructions from the intelligence community that explicitly does not use signal for classified information.”

Raddatz: “Do you use signal?”

Warner: “I use signal to talk to someone because it’s safer. I actually encourage people to use signal, but it still doesn’t mean because it’s safer you can put classified information. In fact, again, if Mrs. Bondi knew something about her job, she would know that we have reports on China and Russia, both are trying to break in to signal.”

Turner about whether the information in the chat was classified

Raddatz: “So let me ask you specifically what I asked Senator Warner. Do you think this – that some of these messages, especially those that Pete Hegeth sent were classified?”

Turner: “Well, clearly, the topic discussed, the status of ongoing military operations should be and considered classified information. And it is surprising to find it in an unclassified way, to find it this way -is surprising. However, it is not war plans and in the Atlantic and -and Goldberg determined -” “

Raddatz: “But is that kind of a word game in a way? They were attacking plans. I mean, they said, da-he said when the F-18s would start, then it’s you know, war plans, attacking plans?”

Turner: “They Weren’t Really Attack Plans. You Know They Were – They Were On Discussions of Ongoing Military Operations. But In That, The Atlantic and Goldberg Really Did oversell. They Really Did Lose Some – Some Credibility. But Beoyond That, It Does Go To The Issu of Whot White House Has Said That There Was No, Classified Information Being Discussed.

Raddatz: “So you say it’s possible – so you say it’s possible that Pete Hegeth says when he wrote these messages, it was classified and when he said, ‘Oh, it’s not classified,’ and everyone else it had been declassified?”

Turner: “That – he would have been within his authority. It’s something that the Inspector General will look at.”

Turner on Hegeth’s ability to defeat information

Raddatz: “So – then you’ll say it’s classified? Or not?”

Turner: “I would say that the White House may be to be a legalistic and that the -The people who discuss this information certainly have the ability to declassify the information. And when they made the decision to enter a declassified conversation, it might be declassified. And that’s something I think it goes to -“

Raddatz: “Of – by Hegeth?”

Turner: “Maybe. And it goes to the question of it – of perhaps what we will see in this inspector’s general investigation, as the Senate Armed Services Committee has requested. They have actually asked both – to examine – the use of signal across agencies, but also the source of this information. Was this information when given to the persons, classified in its nature? Given them?

Turner at Mike Waltz and Pete Hegeth

Raddatz: “Do you think there should be some accountability? And do you trust secretary Hegeth and Mike Waltz in the future?”

Turner: “Absolutely. Absolutely. I think they are doing an excellent job. They are incredibly important to our – our national security. And certainly there was no one – there was no influence on this operation. It was a great operation and I think they are doing a – an excellent job.”

Stavridis about foreign implications on the signal app

Raddatz: “Admiral, you’ve had so many important jobs over the years, including senior military assistant to [former Secretary of Defense] Donald Rumsfeld. So when you look at what happened to that signal app, do you think it could have put life at risk? “

Stavridis: “I have no doubt that it could have. At any time you reveal tactical information, you don’t know where it ends. Potentially, Russia, China, they could talk to Iran, who could talk to the houthis – definitely it would put life at risk.”

Raddatz: “Do you think there should be accountability?”

Stavridis: “I think it is up to the commander -in -chief self, the president. I think what should be right away is a thorough public and transparent investigation. Where are these mobile phones now? What information, what other conversations were conducted about them?”