CIA Director Ratcliffe hits back on Dem senator’s group chat allegations: ‘I didn’t say any of those things’

CIA director John Ratcliffe and Democratic Senator On Tuesday, in amid lawmakers’ description of a signal chat leaked by the Trump administration – pushing several times before the snap-up: “I didn’t say anything.”

Ratcliffe and D-Colo. The exchange between Senator Michael Bennet took place at the Senate Intelligence Committee’s annual “Threat to Homeland” hearing.

However, most of this year’s hearings focused on one extraordinary news that more than a dozen of Trump’s senior national security officials, including Ratcliffe, inadvertently incorporated Atlantic editor-in-chief Jeffrey Golberg into a signal group chat Plans for strikes Hussis in Yemen.

The news was first reported by Golberg on Monday, which launched a shockwave in Washington, D.C.

Trump does not intend to fire waltz after national security text chain leaks

Especially Ratcliffe Baked by lawmakers About the Trump administration’s use of encrypted messaging apps to exchange so-called confidential security information. The senator asked to know who added famous editor and journalist Goldberg to the so-called “Houthi PC team”, where he had not noticed for a few days.

Bennet asked Ratcliffe if he thought the signal thread in question was not wrong, and if he shared the view of the NIS Director Tulsi Gabbard that the chat in question did not include any targeted information or combat sequences.

Bennet said it was in Ratcliffe’s testimony and then pointed out: “I think this is your point, director Ratcliffe.”

“CIA has anything to do [the] Handle confidential information? “He asked. “Yes or not?” ”

“Yes,” Ratcliffe replied. He added that he hadn’t heard of Goldberg before, although he admitted that someone in the group “is obviously he was added to the signal thread.”

“I don’t know how he was added,” Ratcliffe said before Bennet’s interruption, “You don’t know the president’s National Security Advisor invited him to the signal thread,” referring to National Security Advisor Mike Waltz.

Trump reveals who is behind the link to the signal text

“Everyone in the United States knows it,” Bennett said.

Ratcliffe said he does not use the app to share classified information or target information.

“As a director of the CIA, your testimony as a director of the CIA is perfectly appropriate,” Bennet asked. “Is it appropriate?”

Ratcliffe started to respond, saying, “No, that’s not me-” before the Democratic senator cut him off.

Then he tried again, challenging Bennett: “I said yes? When should I use ‘proper’?’

Trump officials accidentally text Atlantic journalists to learn about obvious security violations of military strikes

“It’s obvious that ‘nothing can’t be seen here’ is your testimony,” Bennett said. “It’s just a normal day for the CIA, and we’re talking about that signal there. That’s your testimony today.”

“No, that’s not my testimony,” Ratcliff fired backwards. “I Senator, said nothing about it. ”

Bennet’s back and forth legendary back and forth legend, he told Ratcliffe signal chat: “This kind of shaking, this powerlessness, disrespect for our intelligence agencies and the people working for them is totally unacceptable. It’s an embarrassment.” “You need to do better. You need to do better.”

During the hearing, other Democrats, including Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden, called on Waltz and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Resign On the signal chat in question.

Click here to get the Fox News app

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, who had previously tried to examine signal chats, told reporters on Monday that the attack on Houthis discussed in the group chat was “already very successful and effective.”

“President Trump continues to be confident in his national security team, including national security adviser Mike Waltz,” she said.