TRANSCRIPT
"I don't know about downplaying; the press up-plays it. I think it's all a witch hunt is all. I think it's a witch hunt.."
That's United States President Donald Trump.
He's commenting about a scandal over a secret chat over the Signal messaging app about plans to attack Houthi rebels in Yemen - a chat that a senior journalist was added to before the military operation took place.
Mr Trump says the incident has been blown out of all proportion.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio says the White House is investigating - but there was no classified information in the exchanges.
"The intel, it there was no intelligence information. And I understand when this story first broke, they were sort of alluding to where war maps or thought this was there was no war plans on there. This was a sort of description of what we could inform our counterparts around the world when the time came to do so. Again, look, I think the White House is looking at this entire thing."
The journalist added to the chat has been identified as the Atlantic magazine's editor in chief Jeffrey Goldberg.
The Atlantic has now published the encrypted chats - but Mr Goldberg says the CIA told them not to publish certain messages.
"We did redact, we did hold back a message, the CIA asked us to not to publish a certain message. You know yesterday we asked all these agencies is there anything even though the President says there is nothing in here we asked is there anything that could endanger someone or something. CIA did ask us to hold back something and we did because we take that seriously."
Mr Goldberg's article also alleges Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth posted sensitive operational details for a military strike against Yemen's Houthis, two hours before the attack happened on the 15th of March.
Mr Goldberg has told ABC America that despite the White House saying otherwise, he was privy to sensitive information in the chat.
"Pete Hegseth put in the group chat - not understanding that a civilian namely me was in the group chat - put in the group chat that the attack was about to be launched. Told everybody exactly what time the planes were leaving and what time the planes were arriving in Houthi strongholds over Yemen. Obviously information like that could put American pilots in danger."
Donald Trump says national security adviser Mike Waltz has taken full responsibility for the inclusion of Mr Goldberg.
"Mike Waltz, I guess, He said he claimed responsibility. I would imagine it had nothing to do with anyone else. It was Mike, I guess. I don't know. I was told it was Mike. But again, the attacks were unbelievably successful and that's ultimately what you should be talking about, I think. So, Mike, he took responsibility for it."
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard has called the incident an inadvertent error.
"The president and National Security Adviser Waltz held a press conference yesterday with a clear message. It was a mistake that a reporter was inadvertently added to a Signal chat with high level national security principles, having a policy discussion about imminent strikes against the Houthis and the effects of the strike. The national security adviser has taken full responsibility for this, and the National Security Council is conducting an in-depth review, along with technical experts working to determine how this reporter was inadvertently added to this chat."
Democratic politicians have condemned the incident and are calling for a full independent investigation into what happened.
Colorado Representative Jason Crow is on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.
He has called for Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth to resign, saying no-one is being held accountable.
"I spent my life in service to this country. I deployed three times to combat in service to this nation. I learned in that time in service that responsibility is core to leadership. You accept responsibility when things go wrong. You admit mistakes. You set the standard from the very top. It is completely outrageous to me, completely outrageous to me that administration officials come before us today with impunity. No acceptance of responsibility, excuse after excuse after excuse."
Meanwhile, the White House maintains there is no need for concern because there was no classified information in the messages.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt has also attacked Jeffrey Goldberg over the incident.
"There were various reasons he listed things that were not included in that messaging thread that were not classified. And again, going back to the American public, do you trust the secretary of defense — who was nominated for this role, voted by the United States Senate into this role, who has served in combat, honourably served our nation in uniform — or do you trust Jeffrey Goldberg? Who is a registered Democrat and an anti-Trump, sensationalist reporter. This president and this national security team are putting our national security and the American people first. We are restoring American strength around the world, and the results of this operation speak for themselves."
