A senior Trump official takes responsibility for a group chat that accidentally included a journalist discussing U.S. plans to bomb Houthi rebels. Also, House Speaker Mike Johnson addresses the federal court’s decision to block the president’s executive actions. These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Wednesday, March 26, 2025.
Trump cabinet members face lawsuit over military plans group text
The fallout continues after top trump administration officials inadvertently added a journalist to an unsecured signal group chat while discussing plans for an American attack on Houthi rebels in Yemen.
Five cabinet members now face a federal lawsuit over their alleged use of the Signal app for that conversation.
The defendants include Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard and CIA Director John Ratcliffe.
The lawsuit also targeted the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) for failing to properly preserve the conversations between the administration cabinet members.
In the lawsuit, American Oversight, a nonpartisan nonprofit organization, alleged that using the app violates federal law concerning preserving government records.
The group wants a federal judge to order the cabinet members to preserve the messages in the NARA.
Lawyers have also requested that the judge declare the use of Signal unlawful.
President Donald Trump stated he would investigate the security breach but ultimately defended National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, who has taken full responsibility for the incident, asserting that he initiated the chat group.
“No, I don’t think he should apologize. I think he’s doing his best,” Trump said. “It’s equipment and technology that’s not perfect. And probably, he won’t be using it again, at least not in the very near future.”
In a Tuesday, March 25, interview with Fox News, Waltz reiterated that he took responsibility for the incident. However, he then turned the conversation to the Democratic Party and the previous administration, saying it neglected the Houthi attacks on American ships in the Red Sea.
“Embarrassing? Yes, but Pete and I are veterans,” Waltz said. “We know these operations. He has been an excellent secretary of defense and this was an operation that … I mean, it amazes me. I guess the Democrats were fine to leave all the sea lanes shut down, were fine to have destroyers fired on dozens of times by this terrorist group and fine to have Iran keep supplying them missiles.”
Waltz added that he does not know “The Atlantic” editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg, the journalist in the chat. However, he said he would “get to the bottom of how this happened.”
He said the “best technical minds” were investigating how the incident occurred, referencing tech billionaire and Trump ally Elon Musk by name.
Trump signs executive order overhauling federal elections
Trump signed an executive order Tuesday, March 25, concerning national elections in the U.S. The order will bring changes to the way Americans vote in the election.
Straight Arrow News reporter Lauren Taylor broke down what the order entails here.
Legal experts said the president does not have authority over elections.
Critics of the order argued that it could disenfranchise millions of voters, including the roughly 21.3 million Americans who do not have easily accessible proof of citizenship, as noted in a 2023 Brennan Center for Justice report.
The Constitution grants Congress and individual states the power to regulate the “times, places and manner of holding elections.”
Lawmakers weigh options as judges block certain Trump orders
Since beginning his term in January, Trump has implemented various actions, including reorganizing the federal government and enhancing efforts to enforce immigration laws against undocumented immigrants.
A number of his orders have already faced legal challenges, and in some cases, federal district court judges have blocked the president’s orders.
Last week, Trump authorized Attorney General Pam Bondi and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to sanction law firms that file what they deem to be “frivolous” lawsuits against his administration.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., suggested Congress could eliminate a federal district court.
Straight Arrow News political correspondent Ray Bogan explains how the government could do that here.
Even if articles of impeachment are brought against federal district judges who oppose Trump, impeachment is seen as a largely futile effort because at least 14 Senate Democrats would have to join Republicans in convicting and removing any of the judges.
The Constitution requires a two-thirds vote in the Senate to convict, not just a simple majority.
JD Vance to join second lady on trip to Greenland
Vice President JD Vance announced Tuesday that he would join his wife, Usha Vance, on her trip to Greenland this week. Trump has repeatedly talked about annexing the territory or taking the island under American control.
“Speaking for President Trump, we want to reinvigorate the security of the people of Greenland because we think it’s important to protecting the security of the entire world,” Vance said.
Vance will visit the U.S. military base in Greenland, which will clarify some questions about protocol.
Greenland’s government posted on Facebook on Monday night, March 24, that it had “not extended any invitations for any visits, neither private nor local.”
Vance and the second lady will leave for Greenland on Friday, March 28.
However, National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, who was initially slated to attend, will no longer travel to the island.
Trump sees Greenland as a strategic territory and a gateway to the Arctic and the North Atlantic, both of which attract the interest of China and Russia.
However, Greenland is officially a self-governing region within Denmark. It is the world’s largest island and is also rich in minerals.
Russia, Ukraine agree to Black Sea ceasefire after US talks
Russia and Ukraine agreed to a ceasefire in the Black Sea following talks with Trump administration officials this week in Saudi Arabia.
In a statement, the White House said the deal will “ensure safe navigation, eliminate the use of force and prevent the use of commercial vessels for military purposes in the Black Sea.”
At a Tuesday press conference, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the agreement took effect immediately and noted that the White House statement did not specify what actions — if any — would be taken if Russia violated the terms of the agreement.
Zelenskyy said Ukraine will ask the Trump administration for more weapons and additional sanctions against Russia if that happens.
The White House also said the U.S. agreed with Russia and Ukraine to “develop measures for implementing” agreements between Trump, Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin “to ban strikes against energy facilities of Russia and Ukraine.”
Hockey star Alex Ovechkin just 6 goals shy of surpassing ‘The Great One’
Alex Ovechkin inches closer to breaking Wayne Gretzky’s record for the most goals scored in a career.
Ovechkin scored again Tuesday night for the Washington Capitals against Winnipeg, bringing his all-time total to 889 goals. Now, he is just five goals shy of tying Gretzky’s record of 894 and six goals away from breaking it.
It’s a bit of a race against time as Washington has only eleven games left in the regular season. If Ovechkin does not break the record this season, fans will have to wait until October and next season for the countdown to continue.
In Washington, they call Ovechkin, who wears number 8, the Great 8, while Gretzky is often called the Great One.
