The messaging app was created by a one-time anarchist to help activists, journalists, and others communicate beyond the prying eyes of government intelligence agencies — not to plan government military operations.

Tulsi Gabbard refused to answer whether she was in the bombshell group chat of Trump officials discussing attack plans that was accidentally shared with the Editor-in-Chief of The Atlantic, when pressed by Democratic Senator Mark Warner during a Senate Intelligence hearing.

For some U.S. allies, the leaked group chat about a planned Yemen attack casts doubt on intelligence-sharing with Washington.

President Donald Trump has reiterated his support for national security adviser Mike Waltz after Waltz added a journalist to a top secret group chat of administration officials discussing battle plans against the Houthis.

President Trump said he still has confidence in national security adviser Mike Waltz in an interview with NBC on Tuesday, following a report by a journalist for The Atlantic who says he was included in a text message chain with officials about plans for an attack on Houthi rebels.