Republican rants over Signalgate debate – just "a thoughtful conversation"

Frankfurter Rundschau Republican rants over Signalgate debate – just "a thoughtful conversation" Max Nebel • 22 hours • 3 minutes read Backing for Trump Senator Markwayne Mullin can't understand the furor over the administration's Signalgate. He rants back. Criticism of Trump is nevertheless growing. Washington, D.C. – The revelations surrounding the leaked Signalgate chat of high-ranking members of the Trump administration, in which details of planned military strikes in Yemen were discussed, continue to cause a political earthquake. While Republicans dismiss the allegations as a witch hunt, critics warn of an unprecedented security failure and a dissolution of democratic norms. Republican rants over Signalgate debate Senator Markwayne Mullin (Oklahoma), a member of the powerful Senate Armed Services Committee, threw his support behind the administration of US President Donald Trump on NBC's "Meet the Press." When asked by moderator Kristen Welker whether the use of the commercial chat app "Signal" for military agreements was appropriate, he replied: "What was shown here was a candid conversation. And I think it was a very thoughtful conversation. There were no war plans disclosed, but a successful mission against the Houthis." Mullin argued that the Biden administration "did nothing for two years," while Trump "took the initiative." When Welker read specific chat excerpts—including details of attack times and weapons systems—he countered: "Where exactly was the location? It could have been anywhere in the world." Instead, he focused on criticism of the Afghanistan withdrawal: "Why isn't anyone screaming about the 13 soldiers killed under Biden?" Mullin then escalated the rhetoric: "The left has completely lost its mind over a good conversation that was a completely successful mission. They can't let go because President Trump is leading the world again." President Donald Trump sharply attacked the debate on Truth Social: "This never-ending Signal story is so old and boring. The fake news can't stand the fact that we're having the most successful first 100 days ever." Trump and Signal-Gate: "A Mixture of Arrogance and Cluelessness" The media and Democrats react with incomprehension. Horst von Buttlar, chief commentator for Wirtschaftswoche, writes in a biting essay that under Trump there is "no apology, no admission, no shame, no remorse, and certainly no consequences." One should "sink into the ground in the face of these ridiculous dilettantes who chat about military strikes like they're talking about the next baseball tournament." He warns: "If obvious chasms no longer open up, if scandals that would normally see heads roll are no longer scandals, then we are not only experiencing the revaluation, but the devaluation of values. Anything goes. Unless, of course, it's woke." The New Yorker analyzed the chat content as a sign of structural incompetence. The messages, in which Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth not only shared attack times but also made derogatory remarks about European allies, revealed a "mixture of arrogance and cluelessness." The magazine compared the government to the "Keystone Cops" – a slapstick police force – and quoted security experts as saying: "Such carelessness with classified data hasn't been seen since Watergate." Senator Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma cannot understand the criticism of the government regarding the "Signalgate" scandal. Donald Trump also speaks of incitement and fake news in this context. Signalgate as an international embarrassment: Emojis, praise of Putin, and "Dr. Strangelove" comparisons Particularly piquant: The Signal chat contained not only military details, but also emojis – such as missile and fire symbols – as well as internal banter. For example, Hegseth described NATO's European partners as "pathetic freeloaders." At the same time, after a recent trip to Moscow, Trump's special envoy, Steven Witkoff, praised Vladimir Putin as "generous" and presented Trump with a portrait gifted by the Kremlin – a gesture that even Republican foreign policy experts criticized as "embarrassing servility," according to The New Yorker. Satirists drew comparisons to Stanley Kubrick's classic film "Dr. Strangelove," in which insane generals trigger a nuclear war. "Reality is now beating fake news. It's more absurd, more entertaining, more oppressive, and better than invented facts, even than Netflix," noted Wirtschaftswoche. Trump is flooding the zone with lies until no one can distinguish between facts and inventions. It's a test of loyalty – those who go along with it eventually give up reason. Ezra Klein (The New Yorker) Trump Administration's Response to Signalgate: A Deliberate Lie? Critics like New Yorker columnist Ezra Klein see the administration's response as a deliberate tactic: "Trump is flooding the zone with lies until no one can distinguish between facts and fabrications. It's a test of loyalty—those who go along with it eventually give up reason." This strategy, once dubbed "flood the zone with shit" by Trump's former advisor Steve Bannon, aims to stifle scandals through sheer overwhelm, according to Wirtschaftswoche. While Democrats like Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi are demanding clarification and consequences, the public already appears to be numbing. Trump's team is relying on distraction: With new announcements about punitive tariffs against China and polarizing culture war issues like banning short hairstyles for girls in schools, it is pushing the debate into the background. But the question remains: Can a government that plans secret operations via text message and dismisses criticism as a "witch hunt" remain viable in the long term? The New Yorker warns: "The threat to democracy continues unencrypted. And it's not hiding—it's boasting."