DONKEY: Mike Waltz Claims ‘Full Responsibility’ Over War Plans Leaked To Journalist

Summary

The Breakfast Club Podcast Summary

Episode Title: DONKEY: Mike Waltz Claims ‘Full Responsibility’ Over War Plans Leaked To Journalist
Release Date: March 26, 2025
Host: Charlamagne Tha God
Guests: None directly featured

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Introduction

In this episode of The Breakfast Club, host Charlamagne Tha God delves into a serious national security breach involving Mike Waltz, the National Security Adviser. The discussion centers around Waltz's alleged mishandling of classified military plans, which were inadvertently shared with journalist Jeffrey Goldberg via a Signal group chat.

Incident Overview

Timestamp [03:10] - Charlamagne Tha God: Charlamagne introduces the topic by highlighting the gravity of the situation:

"Mike Waltz accepted full responsibility Tuesday for accidentally including Atlantic magazine's Editor in Chief Jeffrey Goldberg in a Signal group chat with discussions about military strikes against the Houthis in Yemen."

The incident involved top U.S. officials—Vice President J.D. Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard—who were discussing sensitive military strategies on the encrypted messaging app Signal. Unfortunately, Jeffrey Goldberg was mistakenly added to this conversation, exposing classified information.

Detailed Account from News Reporter

Timestamp [03:57] - News Reporter: The podcast references a news report detailing the lapse:

"It's one of the most bizarre and potentially consequential national security lapses... They added Jeffrey Goldberg to a Signal platform messaging group where classified military plans were being discussed."

Timestamp [04:30] - Jeffrey Goldberg: Goldberg recounts his experience:

"Goldberg at 11:44am I receive a text in this chain from someone who claims to be Pete Hegseth, who provides what I would only call, I can only call a war plan... around 1:50 Eastern Time, I see that Yemen is under attack."

These messages were later confirmed authentic by the White House, although Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth attempted to downplay the incident.

Charlamagne's Critique and Analysis

Timestamp [03:10] - Charlamagne Tha God: Charlamagne launches into a sharp critique of Mike Waltz's handling of the situation:

"Mike Waltz is taking full responsibility. This is what he said. But I need you all to understand that when you accept full responsibility, that means you and you alone are responsible."

He challenges the sincerity of Waltz's apology, pointing out contradictions in his statements.

Timestamp [05:30] - Mike Waltz's Statement: Waltz attempts to defend himself:

"I take full responsibility. I built the group to... My job is to make sure everything's coordinated... I didn't see this loser in the group. It looked like someone else."

Timestamp [07:38] - Charlamagne Tha God: Charlamagne responds critically:

"This is not what full responsibility looks like... you're blaming the other person. Mike Waltz didn't do that. He just blamed Jeffrey Goldberg."

He emphasizes the importance of genuine accountability, arguing that Waltz's actions reflect a larger issue within the administration's handling of mistakes.

Timestamp [07:52] - Charlamagne Tha God: Charlamagne continues his analysis:

"Mike Waltz is always blaming others when things go wrong. They take all the credit when something is good and deflect when something goes wrong."

He mocks the use of Signal for sensitive communications, highlighting the irony in relying on an application he perceives as insecure:

"When people say it's because you can have top secret conversations and nobody can see them, it's encrypted, I'm like, y'all really believe that?"

Timestamp [08:30] - Charlamagne Tha God: Charlamagne wraps up his segment by reiterating his disdain for Waltz's handling of the incident:

"Mike Walts didn't accept full responsibility. All he did was blame Jeffrey Goldberg... This level of incompetence can't be corrected with a 'my bad.'"

Conclusion and Reflections

Charlamagne's in-depth critique underscores the broader implications of the security breach, questioning the integrity and competence of high-ranking officials in handling classified information. He emphasizes the necessity for leaders to genuinely own their mistakes rather than deflecting blame onto others.

Notable Quotes:

• Charlamagne Tha God [03:10]: "Mike Waltz is taking full responsibility. This is what he said. But I need you all to understand that when you accept full responsibility, that means you and you alone are responsible."
• Mike Waltz [05:30]: "I take full responsibility.... It looked like someone else."
• Charlamagne Tha God [07:38]: "This is not what full responsibility looks like... you're blaming the other person."

Key Takeaways

• Accountability Matters: True responsibility involves owning up to mistakes without shifting blame.
• Security Protocols Need Review: The use of consumer-grade encrypted apps like Signal for national security discussions poses significant risks.
• Leadership Scrutiny: The incident raises questions about the competence and decision-making processes within the administration.

Final Thoughts

Charlamagne Tha God's incisive analysis provides listeners with a critical perspective on the mishandling of sensitive information by high-ranking officials. By dissecting Mike Waltz's attempt at taking responsibility, Charlamagne underscores the importance of transparency and accountability in governance, especially concerning national security matters.

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For those interested in more in-depth discussions and sharp critiques on pressing issues, tuning into The Breakfast Club offers a blend of insightful commentary and candid conversations.

Transcript

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[John Cameron Mitchell]

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[Kevin Smith]

Hey, kids, it's me, Kevin Smith.

[Harley Quinn Smith]

And it's me, Harley Quinn Smith.

[Kevin Smith]

That's my daughter, man, who my wife has always said is just a beardless, dickless version of me. And that's the name of our podcast, Beardless Me. I'm the old one, I'm the young one. And every week we try to make each other laugh really hard. Sounds innocent, doesn't it? A lot of cussing, a lot of bad language. It's for adults only. Or listen to it with your kid. Could be a family show. We're not quite sure. We're still figuring it out.

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[Kevin Smith]

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[Damien Hirst]

Do you remember what you said the first night I came over here?

[John Cameron Mitchell]

Ow.

[Damien Hirst]

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[Charlamagne Tha God]

No. Well, you need to tell them. I am. You have the voice. Tell them it's time for Donkey of the Day.

[Damien Hirst]

It's a read, but you're so good.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

At it, you're trying to be a fake ass. Charlamagne. Only one Charlemagne. Damn Charlamagne. Who you giving Dusty of the Day to now? Donkey? Today for Wednesday, March 25 goes the National Security Advisor, Mike Waltz. Now, Mike Waltz accepted full responsibility Tuesday for accidentally including Atlantic magazine's Editor in Chief Jeffrey Goldberg in a Signal group chat with discussions about military strikes against the. What is it? The Hooties. The Hootie Hoos. The Hooties in Yeiman took place. Yes. If you haven't heard, top U.S. officials, which apparently included Vice President J.D. vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, they added Jeffrey Goldberg to a signal platform messaging group where classified military plans were being discussed. I can't make this kind of stuff up. Let's go to the news report, please.

[News Reporter]

It's one of the most bizarre and potentially consequential national security lapses. To reach the public forum, top Trump administration officials, including National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Vice President J.D. vance, and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, laid out plans about the US's attack on the Houthis in Yemen before putting it into action. The chat over the unauthorized encrypted messaging app Signal accidentally invited in on the conversation. Editor in Chief of the Atlantic, Jeffrey.

[Jeffrey Goldberg]

Goldberg at 11:44am I receive a text in this chain from someone who claims to be Pete Hegseth, who provides what I would only call, I can only call a war plan. I sort of just sort of wait with my phone to see if this is a real thing. Sure enough, around 1:50 Eastern Time, I see that Yemen is under attack.

[News Reporter]

The White House confirmed the messages Goldberg reported were authentic. Hegseth then went after and dismissed the reporting itself.

[Mike Waltz]

Nobody was texting war Plans. And that's all I have to say about that.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Jesus Christ. That was ABC News for the report. At this point, who is God letting executive produce America? This dramedy is hilarious. Is it Lauren Michaels? Maybe even Key and Peele? The Wayans brothers, Dave Chappelle and Neil Brennan? Maybe. I don't know. Look, I don't even know how satire is even a thing nowadays because life itself is a spoof. Now, remember what I said earlier. Mike Waltz is taking full responsibility. Let's listen.

[Mike Waltz]

It's embarrassing. Yes. We're going to get to the bottom of it. We've have. I just talked to Elon on the way here. We've got the best technical minds looking at how this happened. But I can tell you I don't know this guy. I know him by his horrible reputation and he really is the bottom scum of journalists. And I know him in the sense that he hates the President. But I don't text him. He wasn't on my phone. And we're going to figure out how this happens. So you don't know what staffer is responsible for this right now? Well, look, a staffer wasn't responsible. And look, I take full responsibility. I built the, I built the group to. My job is to make sure everything's coordinated. But how did that execute? I mean, I don't mean to be pedantic here, but how did the number. Have you ever had a. Have you ever had somebody's contact that shows their name and then you have an. And then you have somebody else number those mistakes, Right? You got somebody else's number on someone else's contact. So of course, I didn't see this loser in the group. It looked like someone else. Now, whether he did it deliberately or. Or it happened in some other technical mean is something we're trying to figure out.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

First of all, that's an admission of guilt. Okay? Mike Walsh said, I take full responsibility. I built the group. My job is to make sure everything is coordinated. Cool. So now Trump knows who to fire. Right? This level of incompetence can't be corrected with a my bad. I mean, we talking classified military plans being discussed over signal? Well, WhatsApp wasn't available. Sidebar. I've had so many people try to get me on signal since signal been signaling and I never understood why people wanted to get on that app. When people say it's because you can have top secret conversations and nobody can see them, it's encrypted, I'm like, y'all really believe that? Okay, that's actually the easiest way to get people's information. If I wanted to get everybody's top secret combos, I would create an app that's available for anyone to download, and I would tell them everything on here is secret and nobody will see it. And boom. Now I got you in your top secret war plans. Now, Mike Waltz has. Has accepted full responsibility. Okay? This is what he said. But I need you all to understand that when you accept full responsibility, that means you and you alone are responsible. Mike Walts didn't do that. In fact, all he did was blame Jeffrey Goldberg, who didn't have to be in his group chat to begin with. Let's hear that again.

[Mike Waltz]

I don't know this guy. I know him by his horrible reputation, and he really is the bottom scum of journalists. And I know him in the sense that he. He hates the president, but I don't text him. He wasn't on my phone. And we're gonna figure out how this happens.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

This is not what full responsibility looks like, okay? This is not what taking full responsibility looks like. Mike, you already said you are the person who coordinated this. You and you alone invited Jeffrey Goldberg to this group chat. Imagine being the person who got invited somewhere they didn't wanna be in the first place. Okay? The party is trash, and the party promoter blames you for the party being whack. I didn't even have to be here. Okay? If I'm such a loser, why do you have my number to begin with? Why would you have your boss's op in your phone? You said, I'm an antagonist of Trump. No, I'm a person who calls out BS when I see it. And this guy, Jeffrey Goldberg, was exposed to the incompetence of some of our top US Officials, and he decided to do the right thing and share that with the public. Okay? Mike Waltz. I would have respected it if you would have said this was stupid. We were incompetent. I was incompetent. It's my fault, therefore, I'm stepping down. But, no, that's not what anyone in the Trump administration likes to do. They take all the credit when something is good and deflect and blame others when something goes wrong. Mike Waltz. Mike Waltz. Mike Waltz. Always remember, it's easy to blame others when things are broken. The hard part is recognizing the part you played in it all. Please give Mike Waltz, the national Security Advisor, the biggest he haw. All right? You want them people to square it up with you so bad? No, I don't. I just think that it's ridiculous to say you take full responsibility for something, but then as you're taking full responsibility, and I put that in air quotes, you're blaming the other person. And the fact that our top US Officials are discussing military plans on signal. Yep, Signal. Men always been dumb in the group chat. It's. That's been a thing for centuries. So. You know what? You absolutely right. You're absolutely right. Well, thank you for that. Donkey of the Day. Donkey of the Day is sponsored by renowned personal injury attorney Michael the Bull. Lame. Soft. Don't be a donkey when you need a fighter on your side. If you're ever injured, go to Michael the Bull dot com. That's MichaeltheBoull dot com and when you mess with the bull, you get the horns. Wake that ass up early in the morning.

[Kevin Smith]

The Breakfast Club.

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[John Cameron Mitchell]

This is John Cameron Mitchell and my new fiction podcast series. Cancellation island stars Holly Hunter as Karen, a wellness influencer who launches a rehab for the recently canceled. In the future, we will all be canceled for 15 minutes. But don't worry, we'll take you from broke to woke or your money back. Cancellation Island's revolutionary rehab therapies like bad touch football, anti racism, spin class and mandatory ayahuasca ceremonies are designed to force the council to confront their worst impulses. But everything starts to fall apart when people start disappearing.

[Kevin Smith]

Karen, where have you brought us?

[John Cameron Mitchell]

Cancellation island, where a second chance might just be your last. Listen to Cancellation island on the iHeartRadio app. Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Kevin Smith]

Hey kids, it's me, Kevin Smith.

[Harley Quinn Smith]

And it's me, Harley Quinn Smith.

[Kevin Smith]

That's my daughter, man, who my wife has always said is just a beardless d? Ckless version of me. And that's the name of our podcast. Beardless Me. I'm the old one, I'm the young one. And every week we try to make each other laugh really hard. Sounds innocent, doesn't it? Lot of cussing, a lot of bad language. It's for adults only. Or listen to it with your kid. Could be a family show. We're not quite sure. We're still figuring it out.

[Harley Quinn Smith]

It's a work in progress.

[Kevin Smith]

Listen to Beardless me on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

[Damien Hirst]

Do you remember what you said the first night I came over here?

[John Cameron Mitchell]

Ow.

[Damien Hirst]

Go slower. From Blumhouse TV, iHeart podcasts and Ember 20 comes an all new fictional comedy podcast series. Join the flighty Damien Hirst as he unravels the mystery of his vanished boyfriend. I've been spending all my time looking for answers about what happened to Santi and what's the way to find a missing person. Sleep with everyone he knew, obviously. Listen to the hookup on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite show.