What did we learn from the war chat leaks?

Listen & Subscribe

Jeffrey Goldberg’s story in the Atlantic is so mind-blowing it’s hard to know what to say in response. It defies belief that Donald Trump’s National Security Advisor, Mike Waltz, appears to have accidentally added a top journalist to a Signal messaging group with senior government officials – including the Vice President, Secretary of State, Defense Secretary and the Director of National Intelligence – to discuss top-secret military action. It boggles the brain that the people running the most powerful country on the planet, the Principals Committee of US national security no less, use childish emojis to discuss a bombing campaign which they helped co-ordinate in order to kill 53 people. It’s another painful reminder that, whether Trump or Biden is in the White House, the free world is not being led by serious people.

Freddy is joined by Ben Domenech, US editor-at-large of The Spectator, to discuss.

About the show

US politics and analysis, delivering in-depth discussions with the best American pundits. Presented by Freddy Gray.

More from The District

  • Can the Democrats save themselves?
    Freddy Gray speaks to Semafor journalist David Weigel about the Democrats’ summer meeting in Minnesota which was cut short following the tragic shooting at a school Wednesday. They discuss what we know about the shooting so far, how the Democrats can reset their stance on law and order and whether they can unify their stance … Read more
  • Trump and Putin (Getty)
    Will Trump fall for Putin’s trap?
    Donald Trump has met both Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky this week, raising hopes of progress in ending the Ukraine war – but is it really a breakthrough, or a trap? US deputy editor Kate Andrews speaks with associate editor Owen Matthews – author of this week’s cover story Putin’s Trap – and Sergey Radchenko, … Read more
  • Did Putin get the upper hand in Alaska?
    Donald Trump hasn’t left his meeting with Vladimir Putin in Alaska with a deal to end the war in Ukraine. He told reporters that ‘great progress’ was made but ‘we didn’t get there’. To discuss who really got the upper hand, Freddy Gray is joined by Spectator associate editor and Russia correspondent Owen Matthews.
  • How dangerous is Washington, DC?
    President Donald Trump claims Washington, DC has been “overtaken by violent gangs and bloodthirsty criminals.” There are lots of stories about crime, including one very bizarre incident involving a sandwich. Just how unsafe is DC? Freddy Gray is joined by US managing editor Matt McDonald and Isaac Schorr, staff writer at Mediaite, who has written … Read more
  • alaska
    Why are Trump and Putin meeting in Alaska?
    Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin are due to meet in Alaska this week. On the table: a discussion on how to end the war in Ukraine. Trump has been pushing hard to end the war. What’s the significance of meeting in Alaska, what are the prospects of the war ending, and what are both sides … Read more