The Senate Intelligence Committee's deputy head states that China is "attracting people with national security clearances who have been let go."

A high-ranking member of the Democratic Party connected the political repercussions resulting from key advisors of U.S. President Donald Trump using Signal for deliberating over war strategies with national security risks posed by China. They cautioned that this “deterioration of confidence” amongst American intelligence officers encourages efforts by both Beijing and Moscow to enlist these individuals.

Questioning five of the country’s top intelligence officials—such as CIA Director John Ratcliffe and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard—at a pre-planned Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on Tuesday, Vice Chair Senator Mark Warner criticized them for an “ongoing pattern” of behaviors by the administration that he believes compromise national security.

The hearing took place just one day after The Atlantic released a report disclosing that its Editor-in-Chief, Jeffrey Goldberg, had been incorrectly joined a Signal group conversation with top Trump officials, such as Ratcliffe, where they finalized their plans to attack Yemen.

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Goldberg stated in his report that the text exchange included specifics regarding upcoming operations against Iran-supported Houthi rebels in Yemen. The content detailed potential targets, the U.S.'s planned weaponry, and the sequence of attacks.

Warner stated, "The Chinese intelligence agencies are active on social media platforms aiming to attract people holding national security clearances who might have been unjustly dismissed, encouraging them to join their ranks."

Thus, the Signal debacle is not an isolated incident. Unfortunately, it represents a recurring trend that we encounter far too frequently.

The Democratic representative from Washington state was discussing extensive federal workforce reduction initiatives implemented under Trump’s direction and executed by billionaire Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (Doge). This highlights the stark divisions between the two political parties regarding this particular issue. traditionally seen more cooperation .

"The loss of confidence within our workplace, from our companies, and among our allies and partners cannot be easily reversed. Let there be no doubt, such actions render America more vulnerable," he cautioned.

Numerous pieces of declassified data indicate that our opponents, China and Russia, are attempting to infiltrate secure systems such as Signal.

Ratcliffe admitted to being part of the Signal chat, arguing that he believed the channel was acceptable for professional purposes and asserting that no confidential details were disclosed within the group.

Republican Senator Tom Cotton, who leads the committee, chose not to delve into specifics but instead commended the action, describing it as " firm actions taken by President Trump and our courageous service members.

When asked about her involvement with the group and whether she used a personal device, Gabbard declined to comment. She asserted that no classified details were disclosed. Additionally, she mentioned that her agency was examining all facets of the incident.

Coincidentally timed, Gabbard's office labeled China in a fresh report released on Tuesday as the "greatest ongoing and consistent" cyber danger to the U.S. government.

The 2025 Annual Threat Assessment report further stated that both private sector and critical infrastructure networks remained susceptible to attacks from hacking groups within the nation.

The report stated that China will keep carrying out extensive cyber operations targeting the US for both espionage purposes and to gain strategic advantages.

As outrage grew stronger and inquiries into responsibility for the security lapse intensified, Trump seemed to concurrently put some space between himself and the incident while supporting National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, who had participated in the same Signal conversation.

Following his assertion twice during a press briefing at the White House that he “wasn’t involved” in the Signal conversation, Trump referred to Waltz—who was standing next to him as saying, “He’s a good person.”

He likewise mentioned "the individual who was part of the chat" -- likely referring to Goldberg -- "as a sleazy character," and went on to say that "this person has fabricated numerous tales, and I believe he is detrimental to the nation. Additionally, he described The Atlantic as 'a declining enterprise.'"

Waltz also criticized Goldberg, stating that "this reporter... aims for global attention focused not on the freedom you're supporting but instead on various scams and absurdities."

Highlighting the highly polarized atmosphere during Tuesday’s hearing, Cotton took the chance to criticize the U.S. intelligence sector, stating that these organizations are "ineffective" in delivering essential national security data to both the President and Congress.

He argued that excessive bureaucracy and "social engineering" were some of the issues diverting attention from their primary duties.

In response to Jon Ossoff, a Georgia Democrat, who questioned him about whether the Signal group chat was "a significant blunder," Ratcliffe replied with a firm "no." In turn, Ossoff remarked, “This behavior is entirely unprofessional. No apology has been offered, nor has there been an acknowledgment of how serious this mistake truly is.”

Although no Republican questioned the witnesses regarding the Signal group chat during the hearing, Representative Don Bacon—a retired Air Force Brigadier General—stated in a CNN interview on Tuesday that he would have had his security clearance revoked if he had engaged in similar behavior.

No one can deny that both Russia and China became aware of these details within just a few hours after the strikes on Yemen or the Houthi rebels," stated Bacon, a member of the Republican Party from Colorado. "It’s clear that nobody should be placing highly classified military strategies on an unsecured device. End of story. There simply isn’t any justification for such actions.

Critics from the Democratic Party voiced concerns about the Signal security issue and the continuing reduction of federal employees during various congressional hearings on Tuesday, including a session conducted by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee aimed at discussing Trump’s nominations for multiple ambassadorial positions.

“I hope that this committee will convey our concerns regarding the sharing of classified information with the Department of State, as mentioned by Secretary Marco Rubio who participated in the Signal chat,” stated Senator Jeanne Shaheen during her introductory comments.

The congressperson representing New Hampshire highlighted to Reed Rubenstein, whom Trump has proposed as Rubio’s chief legal advisor, that they would offer guidance on sectors vital for our national security. In numerous instances, she noted, these domains have faced unrelenting attacks from the current administration and individuals like Elon Musk.

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The article initially appeared on the South China Morning Post (www.scmp.com), which is the premier source for news coverage of China and Asia.

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