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I’m Thomas Mills for PoliticsNC. Today is Tuesday, Mar 25, 2025 and the Republic is still standing–but’s it’s being run by a comically inept government.
Yesterday, we learned that our national security team is running our foreign policy on insecure cell phones and commercial apps and while inadvertently leaking classified information to reporters.
It seems that National Security Advisor Michael Waltz set up a chat group to discuss the pending strike on Houthis in the Persian Gulf. The group included Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard—and editor of Atlantic Magazine Jeffrey Goldberg.
Goldberg has no idea why he was added to the chat group but he stayed on for several days. At one point, Hegseth gave operational details about the strike on the Houthis. None of this should have been done on cell phones because they’re easily hacked, but none of our national security team knew that or cared enough to raise the alarm.
Hegseth, in particular, is a clown. Just after he was confirmed as Secretary of Defense, he gave away negotiating tactics to the Russians. Over the last few weeks, he’s been scrubbing Department of Defense websites of African American heroes.
When Hegseth was confronted with the leak to Goldberg, he lied about it. I guess he didn’t know that the White House had already confirmed the fuck up.
Hegseth should never have been confirmed as Defense Secretary. Republicans knew better but they didn’t care. Our Senator Thom Tillis was going to block Hegseth because of numerous troubling aspects of his nomination. He admitted having a drinking problem. Several women, including his sister-in-law, accused him of abusive behavior. On top of all that, he had no experience.
He isn’t a military guy. He’s a Fox News reporter who served in the National Guard.
Tillis knew he wasn’t qualified but caved to pressure from the Trump administration. Thom Tillis did what he always does. He knows right but does what’s wrong. He will put his political career before his country or the people he serves every time.
Pete Hegseth is Thom Tillis’ man at Defense. What an embarrassment. It’s time to send Thom Tillis packing.
I’m Thomas Mills, signing off for PoliticsNC.
We must replace Tillis in 2026 election!
Putin laughs. His Washington assets are working beyond expectations.
On March 24, 2025, appointees from Trump's administration engaged in actions that potentially compromised the safety of military personnel involved in a classified operation.
They used an insecure application called "SIGNALS" on their personal cell phones to discuss operational details of an upcoming air strike, including targets, weapons platforms, and timing. Adversaries could have exploited this information to set up defenses and deploy resources, endangering U.S. service members.
Such actions may be considered serious offenses and could be subject to severe penalties under federal law. During a Senate hearing, the Trump appointees claimed the material was not classified. Trump stated he had no knowledge of the incident, though historically, the president as commander-in-chief is typically informed. Calls for investigation and potential charges against individuals involved have been voiced, though the Trump-appointed head of the FBI indicated that such actions would not proceed.
If those airmen had been killed, perhaps Trump could explain how MAGA is making things better to the wives and mothers of those folks.
My concern is that when Trump was asked about it by the press, he aid he didn't know anything about it. No one in the WH told him?!
You have to be intelligent to be a clown.
The defense mill of the Republican party are hard at work this morning defending and minimizing what took place. Hegseth blatantly lied to the reporters who questioned him on this. All are insisting that no secrets were revealed on the chat that didn't take place. Trump says people make mistakes, so of course no one should lose their job over this or be investigated. Just what will it take for their to be any consequences of ineptitude? The group holds Europe in disdain. I don't think they will be welcomed with open arms by our now lost allies.
What a sad state of affairs.
Time to write our Senator to call him out on his cowardice and putting our country’s security at risk. I did this morning.
And on we go. If the stakes were not so critically high and dangerous, I might manage a chuckle. All I can do is snarl and grunt, put one foot in front of the other, stay as healthy as possible, use talents and gifts bestowed at birth, and say, "Thank you, PoiliticsNC."
When I was a Marine (1965-1969) combat Marines referred to USMC press release writers, l9ike the SecDef, as "Reminton Raiders" because they waged war with their Remington typewriters, and that is the way I think of our utterly unqualified SecDef.
Tillis needs to face the people at a Town Hall
Amen. Thom Tillis has done nothing to help NC move forward. Now we are facing numerous cuts to funding including education, Medicaid/medicare and social security. Also cuts for food aid to impoverished. Thom Tillis could care less. Selfish to the core.
Yes he did know but he’s a damn coward.