WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.) and other Democratic ranking members are calling for an investigation into senior Trump administration officials over the alleged mishandling of classified information through a messaging app.
According to the Associated Press, top national security officials for President Trump, including his defense secretary, texted plans for upcoming military strikes in Yemen to a group chat in a secure messaging app that included The Atlantic's editor-in-chief. The magazine published the messages online.
In a letter to the acting inspectors general of the Department of Defense, the Intelligence Community, the National Archives and Records Administration, and the Department of State, the senators requested an inquiry into the use of a group chat to discuss sensitive military operations.
“We note that classified information is designated as such because its release would significantly damage U.S. national security and put at risk our national security personnel,” the senators wrote.
In addition to Coons, the letter was signed by Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI.), Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Sen. Brian Schatz (D-HI), and Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA).
The full text of the letter is available online.