NORFOLK, Va. — Local lawmakers are sounding off about the Trump administration's use of a group text on the app Signal to discuss military operations.
A journalist from The Atlantic was inadvertently included in the group chat.
Watch: Gabbard, Ratcliffe grilled about Signal group chat
Virginia Democratic Senator Mark Warner, vice chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, delivered a scathing rebuke during a hearing on Capitol Hill Tuesday.
"This was not only sloppy; it not only violated all procedures. But if this information had gotten out, American lives could've been lost," he said.
Watch: Sen. Warner presses Trump officials to share full Signal chat transcript
While the hearing was intended to address worldwide threats, much of the focus shifted to the discussion of the group chat.
In the chat, defense and intelligence officials talked about military plans regarding strikes on Houthi rebels in Yemen.
The Truman Strike Group, based locally, has been involved in executing these military operations.
President Trump weighed in on the controversy from the Cabinet Room. "There was no classified information, as I understand it. They used an app. If you want to call it an app, a lot of people use it. A lot of people in government use it; a lot of people in media use it," he said.
"Using Signal is something I've used for years. Nobody should ever think Signal is 100% secure because it's not," said Don Mann, a retired Navy SEAL.
"It's better than not using some sort of encryption software like that, but it's nowhere near as secure as people might think it is. It was a terrible mistake to include media. I mean, that was a mistake on multi-levels," said Mann.
In a statement regarding the incident, local Republican Congresswoman Jen Kiggans labeled it a "serious mistake" and said she trusts the Trump administration would take steps to prevent this from happening again.
Additionally, President Trump told NBC News that his National Security Adviser, Michael Waltz — who reportedly was the one who added the journalist to the chat — has "learned a lesson."
