Kaptur Renews Call For Investigation Related To Leak Of Pentagon Attack Plans In Unsecure Signal Group Chat

PRESS RELEASE –Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (OH-09), a senior member of the House Appropriations Defense Subcommittee delivered a speech on the House floor renewing her calls for resignations, removals, investigation, and Congressional hearings related to the Department of Defense leak of attack plans in a Signal group chat that included a reporter and was conducted on unsecure non-governmental devices. A full recording of her floor speech can be found by clicking here. A full transcript of her remarks as delivered can be found below:

Mr. Speaker,

Today I rise in disbelief at the troubling stories in The Atlantic magazine, of classified attack plans carelessly leaked by the US Department of Defense in reckless and dangerous fashion.

Congress must conduct full independent, public, and private Congressional hearings. The highest national security, and intelligence leaders of our nation put American servicemembers lives at high risk.

All responsible must be held fully accountable, including through removal or resignation from their positions, and these include Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, CIA Director Ratcliffe, Director of National Intelligence Gabbard, Secretary of State Rubio, National Security Adviser Waltz, Chief of Staff Wiles, and Vice President Vance were among those involved in the plans Hegseth shared against DoD policy on a Signal group chat, on unsecured, non-government devices vulnerable to espionage.

Hegseth failed to notice the group chat included a news editor and reporter with no security clearance. Only Lady Luck graced our nation, as their haphazard approach to war didn’t result in the death of American servicemembers who could have ended up at the bottom of the Red Sea or over foreign soil. Their reckless leak risked American lives and our security.

As our Marine Corps Uncle would say: Shape up.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, I yield back.