Signalgate

Mar 25, 2025

Presented by the National Retail Federation

With help from Eli Okun, Garrett Ross and Bethany Irvine

FIRST IN PLAYBOOK — AN ALT. WHCD? The White House and allied conservative groups are actively exploring ways to counter-program the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, including the possibility of hosting a parallel dinner or separate gathering on the same day, two White House officials tell my POLITICO colleagues Sophia Cai and Jake Traylor.

The idea of a parallel dinner attended by White House staff and allies has been floated but not finalized, one of the officials said. “Why be surrounded by people who don’t align with us or our voters?” one official said. Major corporate sponsors that were active during inauguration weekend are also planning events in D.C. that weekend with alternative media outlets, while Turning Point is weighing a gathering of conservative influencers, two others with knowledge of the planning said.

First lady Melania Trump’s birthday is on April 26, the same day as the WHCD, and aides are exploring whether that could serve as a thematic tie-in. The White House official emphasized they are expecting less of a rally-style event and more of a “dinner-style” affair, with possible remarks from President Donald Trump.

In today’s Playbook …

— The knives are out for NSA Mike Waltz over Signalgate. Will he last the day?

— Irony alert: Trump invokes state secrets laws to resist Judge James Boasberg.

— Crunch reconciliation talks at the White House with 17 days to the GOP’s deadline.

DRIVING THE DAY

Washington is still sorting through the fallout from news that a reporter was included in a Signal chat with national security adviser Michael Waltz, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, VP JD Vance and other administration officials. | Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

THE LAST WALTZ? Questions are swirling this morning about the future of national security adviser Mike Waltz over his role in what is surely — hands-down — one of the dumbest security breaches of recent times. Waltz has yet to comment publicly on The Atlantic’s jaw-dropping revelation that he set up an unsecured Signal chat group to discuss military battle plans with Cabinet colleagues — and then accidentally invited Atlantic editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg to join. POLITICO’s Dasha Burns, Rachael Bade and Eli Stokols revealed last night that multiple conversations are now underway among White House officials over whether Waltz should be forced to resign. All eyes are on the commander-in-chief for a final decision.

What’s on Trump’s mind? Ominously for Waltz, there has been no message of support thus far from the president, who instead spent last night posting videos on Truth Social about his own achievements. In fact, Trump — normally a vocal armchair pundit — has not commented at all on the story, beyond a few initial boilerplate attacks on The Atlantic. All the signs are he’s mulling his options.

Because let’s be clear … This is damaging stuff for the Trump administration. As a story, Signalgate is more than just a serious breach of national security. It’s colorful, it’s visual, it’s easy to understand and it raises the most dangerous charge of all for any government — one of rank incompetence. (They discussed military secrets in a group chat? They accidentally invited a journalist to join the group, and didn’t notice? These guys are running the country?) Yeah, it’s a bad one.

Behind the scenes: A senior administration official told Dasha, Rachael and Eli that they were involved in multiple text threads with other staffers about what to do with Waltz, “half of them saying he’s never going to survive or shouldn’t survive.” Two high-level White House aides floated the idea that Waltz should resign in order to protect the president. “You can’t have recklessness as the national security adviser,” one senior administration official said.

Quote du jour: A person close to the White House was even more blunt: “Everyone in the White House can agree on one thing: Mike Waltz is a fucking idiot.”

And there’s more: “Administration officials said President Trump was frustrated by the episode, and was directing his ire at Waltz,” the WSJ confirmed last night. “But it wasn’t immediately clear if he would move to oust his national security adviser, the officials said. Trump asked aides on Monday how Waltz could be so sloppy, one of the officials said.”

Wanted — a fall guy: It was hardly just Waltz at fault, of course. What was Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth doing, sharing — according to the Atlantic — detailed battle plans in a group chat? And why were Vice President JD Vance, DNI Tulsi Gabbard, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other key figures happy to discuss military operations in such a forum? But every good scandal needs a fall guy, and the suspicion is the White House would rather protect the ultra-loyalist Hegseth — if it comes to it — than an NSA who can be replaced without even a Senate hearing.

Where they’re all at: Waltz’s movements today are unclear … Hegseth (to his relief) is out of the country, and heads from Hawaii to Guam today … Rubio is in D.C. hosting eastern European counterparts … Vance is having lunch with Trump, which would be fun to listen in to … and with glorious timing, Gabbard is before a hearing of the Senate Intelligence Committee, along with CIA boss — and group chat colleague — John Ratcliffe. Let’s hope they all find something to talk about.

But it’s all eyes on Trump: “All anyone in the White House is doing right now is waiting,” my POLITICO colleague Rachael Bade messages (via Signal, natch) to say. “Watching and waiting to see how POTUS reacts to this embarrassment of a story I'm told he's not happy about. The White House knew it was going to be a bad story, but it got worse than even they imagined throughout the day. Everyone is holding their breath to see if it can blow over.”

“Blowing over” latest … “Hegseth Disclosed Secret War Plans in a Group Chat,” NYT’s Helene Cooper and Eric Schmitt … “Top Trump Officials Debated War Plans on Unclassified Chat With Journalist,” by WSJ’s Michael Gordon, Nancy Youssef and Alex Ward … “Trump officials shared war planning in unclassified chat with journalist,” by WaPo’s Dan Lamothe, Michael Birnbaum, Abigail Hauslohner, Warren Strobel and Ellen Nakashima … today’s NY Post front page: “Operation Overshare,” featuring a photo of Vance, Hegseth and Waltz laughing … and so on.

On the other hand: The president’s favorite TV channel, Fox News, has been offering viewers a slightly more optimistic take on the story of the day. “WE'VE ALL TEXTED THE WRONG PERSON BEFORE," read one chyron during Jesse Watters’ primetime show last night. (Yes, really.) Earlier, Fox host Will Cain told viewers: "If you read the content of these messages, I think you'll come away proud that these are the leaders making these decisions in America." Will the channel’s audience of one be convinced?

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FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: How secure is Signal? “It’s far below the standards required for discussing any elements of a war plan,” Mark Montgomery, senior director at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, tells POLITICO cybersecurity journos Maggie Miller and Dana Nickel. One key issue, they write, is that “in most cases,” Signal cannot be used on federal phones, raising the question of which devices Cabinet members were using. “Their personal phones are all hackable,” one ex-White House official warns. “It’s highly likely foreign intelligence services are sitting on their phones watching them type the shit out.”

Further reading: “Dems seethe over war plan group chat. How to stick it to the GOP is an open question,” by POLITICO’s Adam Wren, Ally Mutnick, Brakkton Booker and Elena Schneider … “5 revelations from the Trump administration’s war plan texts,” by POLITICO’s Paul McCleary — including Vance’s private views on Trump, the Houthi bombing campaign and Europe … “A Conversation With Jeffrey Goldberg About His Extraordinary Scoop,” by The Atlantic’s David Graham …

…. And on social media: Enjoy the Sesame Street memes … the old clips of Hegseth going nuts about security breaches … the painful GOP obfuscation … and the revelation that Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff apparently joined the top secret chat while visiting Vladimir Putin in Russia … What could possibly go wrong?

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COURT IN THE ACT

BOA TIED: The Trump administration last night invoked state secrets laws in its efforts to resist Judge James Boasberg’s inquiries into the deportation of Venezuelan migrants, POLITICO’s Kyle Cheney reports. “The Court has all of the facts it needs,” Attorney General Pam Bondi and other senior officials wrote in a filing to Boasberg, who wants details of the people deported to El Salvador and the time their flights departed. Boasberg may respond in court today.

In better news for Boasberg: House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune don’t sound enthused by Trump’s (doomed) push to impeach lower-court judges who block his agenda, POLITICO’s Jordain Carney, Meredith Lee Hill and Hailey Fuchs report. Rep. Brandon Gill, the Texas Republican pushing to impeach Boasberg, isn’t standing down yet, but admitted he has no immediate plans to force a House vote, POLITICO’s Meredith Lee Hill reports.

Jordan rules: A House inquiry might be a more plausible route for the GOP to take. House Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) told reporters he briefed Trump over the weekend about his panel’s plans to examine how the federal judiciary is working to block his agenda, per POLITICO’s Hailey Fuchs.

UNDER THE INFLUENCE: Trump’s “retribution tour against Big Law has arrived on Capitol Hill,” POLITICO’s Dasha Burns, Caitlin Oprysko and Daniel Lippman report. “An email circulated by a high-level Republican Senate staffer to GOP Senate offices Friday instructs them to pay heed to the lobbying clients of Covington & Burling and Perkins Coie, two prominent law firms that Trump has singled out for punishment.

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ELSEWHERE ON THE HILL

RECONCILABLE DIFFERENCES: Thune and Johnson head to the White House today for meetings with top Trump officials over the GOP’s ambitious spending plans. The two leaders are pushing an ambitious timeline to get a budget blueprint through, with Thune setting a target of April 11, POLITICO’s Jordain Carney reports. “I want to get it done this work period,” Thune told reporters. That gives them 17 days. Good luck!

Coming attractions: Senate Republicans’ next test in their quest to zero-out their proposed tax cuts — essentially an accounting trick to keep the massive cost off the books — lies with Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough, to whom they’ll have to defend their reasoning against Democratic attacks, POLITICO’s Jennifer Scholtes reports.

ONE TO WATCH TODAY: Frank Bisignano, Trump’s pick to lead the Social Security Administration, is before the Senate Finance Committee shortly after 10 a.m., and will face a slew of difficult questions over an agency that is “suddenly in the grips of upheaval,” NYT’s Andrew Duehren, Alexandra Berzon and Tara Siegel Bernard note.

More action on the Hill: The House GOP Conference holds its meeting at 9 a.m., with a presser from leadership expected to follow at 10 a.m. … Mehmet Oz’s nomination to become CMS administrator will come up for a vote before the Senate Finance Committee at 9:30 a.m. … The Senate Foreign Relations Committee will hold a confirmation hearing on Mike Huckabee’s nomination to become ambassador to Israel and Kevin Cabrera’s to be ambassador to Panama at 10 a.m. … And House Democrats are set to hold a “hearing” on cuts to SNAP with celebrity chef Tom Colicchio at 3 p.m.

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BEST OF THE REST

DISPATCH FROM THE WILDERNESS: Michigan state Sen. Mallory McMorrow has thrown her weight behind calls for Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer to step aside in a new interview with POLITICO’s Adam Wren up this morning. McMorrow, a 38-year-old Michigan Democrat who’s likely to launch a Senate run in April, said it wasn’t clear to her that Schumer could continue in his role. “I think it is” time for him to step back, she said.

TARIFF TURMOIL: Trump is again shaking up his strategy on tariffs, telling reporters in the Oval Office yesterday that he “may give a lot of countries breaks,” WSJ’s Collin Eaton, Gavin Bade and Alex Leary report. “He said the reciprocal tariffs could stop short of his pledge to equalize U.S. duties with rates other nations charge. ‘I’m embarrassed to charge them what they’ve charged us,’ Trump said.”

NIL SINE ENSHRINE: The portrait of Trump that was hanging in Colorado’s state Capitol will be taken down after the president complained about his likeness in a post on Truth Social. “Colorado Republicans raised more than $10,000 through a GoFundMe account to commission the oil painting, which was unveiled in 2019,” AP’s Jesse Bedayn writes. “Senate Minority Leader Paul Lundeen, a Republican, said that he requested for Trump’s portrait to be taken down and replaced by one ‘that depicts his contemporary likeness.’”

TALK OF THE TOWN

Louis DeJoy resigned as postmaster general yesterday, Time’s Eric Cortellessa scooped. Deputy Postmaster General Doug Tulino will replace DeJoy until a permanent successor is named.

Chris LaCivita has filed a defamation suit against The Daily Beast, Axios’ Alex Isenstadt reports, “alleging that the outlet published ‘malicious’ and ‘damag[ing]’” reporting during the campaign “‘with reckless disregard for the truth.’” For its part The Daily Beast said in a statement that it “stands by its reporting” and called the lawsuit “meritless and a transparent attempt to intimidate the Beast and silence the independent press.”

Don Bacon joked the response to his new mustache has been “50-50 … just like my elections.”

Hunter Biden has retained Dick Harpootlian — who represented convicted killer Alex Murdaugh, whose trial was the subject of several documentary series — in a federal libel lawsuit the former president’s son is bringing against Patrick Byrne.

OUT AND ABOUT — BGR Group hosted a meet and greet for several freshman Democratic members of Congress, including Reps. Herb Conaway (N.J.), Shomari Figures (Ala.), Pablo Jose Hernandez (Puerto Rico), John Mannion (N.Y.), Kristen McDonald Rivet (Mich.), Derek Tran (Calif) and Eugene Vindman (Va.). SPOTTED: Rep. Gabe Amo (D-R.I.), Lindsey Atherton, Daniella Landau, Howard Moon, Fabian Lucero, Dan Rodriguez, Dustin Marquis, Ivona Bagaric, Fred Turner, Jonathan Mantz, Andy Lewin, Joel Bailey, Syd Terry, Don Andres, Marvin Figueroa and Remy Brim.

— SPOTTED at the opening of the National Medal of Honor Museum on Saturday night in Arlington, Texas: former President George W. Bush and Laura Bush, Jerry Jones, Charlotte Jones, Roger Goodell, Gov. Greg Abbott, Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Heidi Cruz, Rep. Roger Williams (R-Texas), Matt Swift, Chris Cassidy, Savannah Guthrie, Dak Prescott, Jake Ferguson, Zack Martin, Brian Schottenheimer, Lee Greenwood, Yolanda Adams, Mayor Jim Ross and Cory Crowley.

MEDIA MOVE — Arielle Elliott is joining NOTUS as its first CEO. She most recently led the global corporate sales and service teams at Bloomberg Industry Group and was president of Bloomberg Government.

California's tech industry is shaping national politics like never before. We’re launching California Decoded to unpack how the state is defining tech policy and politics within its borders and beyond. Sign up now to get it free for a limited time.

FIRST IN PLAYBOOK — Megan Bailey is now a manager for government relations at Whirlpool Corporation, focusing on energy, manufacturing, environment and tech. She previously was federal affairs liaison at Americans for Prosperity and is a Rick Scott alum.

TRANSITIONS — Alex El-Fakir is now senior adviser for strategic operations at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. He most recently was managing director and head of operations at AFF Foundation and served in the first Trump White House. … Christina Amestoy is joining Dewey Square Group's comms practice as a principal. She previously led political comms for Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and is a DGA and Steve Sisolak alum. …

… UC Berkeley Law’s Center for Consumer Law & Economic Justice is adding Seth Frotman, Sam Levine and Doha Mekki as senior fellows. Frotman previously was general counsel and senior adviser to CFPB Director Rohit Chopra. Levine previously was director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. Mekki previously was acting assistant AG in DOJ’s Antitrust Division.

ENGAGED — George Pulizzi, energy policy adviser for Sen. Jim Banks (R-Ind.), proposed to Charlotte Law, comms director for Rep. Richard Hudson (R-N.C.), on March 15 in downtown Annapolis during a weekend trip. They got set up junior year of homecoming in high school in 2011, when she was his blind date, but didn’t start dating until December 2020. Pic … High school homecoming pic

WELCOME TO THE WORLD — Dan Risko, VP of government relations at Transfr and a Commerce Department alum, and Mandi Merritt Risko, senior director at FTI Consulting and an RNC alum, on Friday welcomed Rhett Donald Risko, who joins big brother Rocco. Pic … Another pic

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Alina Habba … Gloria Steinem (91) … Bari Weiss … Erika Moritsugu … Sofia Kinzinger … POLITICO’s Raymond Rapada and Emily Ngo … Michael Ortiz of Sequoia Capital Partners … Liz Timmons of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Dems … Joel Wanger of the Democratic Majority for Israel … AP’s Steven Sloan … Fox News’ Nick Kalman and Pat Ward … CAP’s Daniella Gibbs Léger … Katey McCutcheon of Firehouse Strategies … The Aspen Institute’s Pete Weber … Marneé Banks … Emily Schillinger of the American Investment Council … Grant Dubler of Sen. Jacky Rosen’s (D-Nev.) office … Lauren Aronson of Mehlman Consulting … UPS’ Andrew Okuyiga … Patrick Bailey … Anthony Garrett … Lauryl Dodson … Sarah Eyman Samonas … Christopher Hale … Joe Chelak … Aaron David Miller … Carolyn Goodman … Arthur Allen … Chris Whipple … Burson’s Erica Cooke … Nicola Wenz … Kelton Morgan (56) … Maggie Angel of Sen. Dick Durbin’s (D-Ill.) office … Pete Van Vleet

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Correction: Yesterday’s Playbook misstated the court on which J. Michael Luttig served as a judge.

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