WASHINGTON — Central Intelligence Agency Director John Ratcliffe, a former Texas congressman, is in the hot seat. He faced a second day of questioning on Capitol Hill over the bombshell revelation that President Donald Trump’s defense and intelligence officials shared sensitive wartime information on a popular messaging app, Signal.

What You Need To Know

  • Democrats, including Rep. Joaquin Castro of San Antonio, argued Wednesday that Ratcliffe and other national security officials should have known better than to use Signal to discuss details of a pending military strike in Yemen

  • Ratcliffe was among the participants in the Signal group chat that was revealed when the Atlantic magazine’s editor reported this week that he had accidentally been added to the messaging chain
  • Ratcliffe left Congress to serve as Director of National Intelligence during the final months of President Donald Trump’s first term and was appointed CIA director by the president for his second term

  • Over the course of two days of congressional hearings, Ratcliffe defended the group’s actions

“John, you and I are both from Texas, and we both served together on the Intelligence Committee. The idea that this information, if it was presented to our committee, would not be classified, y'all know is a lie. That's ridiculous,” said Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-San Antonio.  

Castro argued Wednesday that one of his former House colleagues, Ratcliffe and other national security officials should have known better than to use Signal to discuss details of a pending military strike in Yemen.

Ratcliffe is a former federal prosecutor and North Texas congressman who served on the House Intelligence and Judiciary committees. He stepped down to serve as Director of National Intelligence during the final months of President Trump’s first term. Ratcliffe was appointed CIA director by the president for his second term.

Ratcliffe was among the participants in the Signal group chat that was revealed when the Atlantic Magazine’s editor reported this week that he had accidentally been added to the messaging chain.

Over the course of two days of congressional hearings, Ratcliffe defended the group’s actions.

“I used an appropriate channel to communicate sensitive information. It was permissible to do so. I didn't transfer any classified information, and at the end of the day, what is most important is that the mission was a remarkable success,” Ratcliffe told lawmakers on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. 

Texas Republicans have largely agreed and instead want to focus on the military strikes on Yemen’s Houthi rebels. 

“I will note I always use fire emojis when I see terrorists getting killed,” said Rep. Dan Crenshaw, R-Houston. 

Crenshaw was referencing emojis national security adviser Michael Waltz sent in the text chain in response to the strikes. 

“I would have expected that all of these top-level officials would know that this channel may not be the best place to discuss all this sensitive information,” said Rajiv Garg, an associate professor of information systems and operations management at Emory University.   

Garg said while Signal can be a powerful tool because the texts are encrypted, it is not as secure as secret government communication systems. 

“There's no controls in place to limit who the recipients are and if their information is legit or not,” Garg said.

Both Texas senators, who supported Ratcliffe’s nomination, have called the group chat a “screwup.” 

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, told Spectrum News “It was clearly a mistake, and it was inadvertent, and as I said, it was embarrassing, but the substance of it was terrific.”

When asked if these communications were irresponsible, Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, told reporters on Capitol Hill, “not if they thought it was confidential.” 

“We'll get to the bottom of this one way or the other,” Cornyn, who serves on the Senate Intelligence Committee, continued.