Washington, DC – Representative Gregory W. Meeks, Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, today introduced a Resolution of Inquiry (ROI) - a procedural tool that compels the White House to provide Congress with records - demanding answers on the reckless use of the Signal messaging app by top Trump administration officials to discuss classified military operations. This unprecedented security lapse included the addition of a journalist to a group chat discussing classified war plans against the Houthis in Yemen. All Democratic Members of the House Foreign Affairs Committee signed on as original co-sponsors of the resolution.

“The American public deserves answers on why the President’s top advisors were using a commercial messaging app to discuss classified war plans. This wasn’t just careless, it could have endangered the lives of U.S. service members and divulged U.S. secrets to our adversaries. The Trump administration has contradicted itself at every turn, and we cannot expect them to police themselves. This resolution would force the administration to transmit to Congress all records and documents so we can provide oversight as a co-equal branch of government,” said Ranking Member Meeks. 

The resolution, if not acted upon by the Committee within 14 days, becomes privileged and is then required to be brought to the House floor for a vote. 

Ranking Member Meeks’ resolution would require the Trump administration to share: 

1. The transcript of the Signal group chat that included journalist Jeffrey Goldberg and pertained to extremely sensitive and confidential plans to strike the Houthis in Yemen, including the full transcript both before and after Mr. Goldberg entered and left the group chat.
    
2. All information pertaining to the strikes on the Houthis in Yemen.
    
3. All documentation pertaining to coordination with partners, allies, and other nations concerning the strikes on the Houthis in Yemen.
    
4. Legal justifications for the strikes in Yemen.
    
5. Any material produced as a result of Mr. Goldberg leaving such group chat and publishing an article describing his inclusion in confidential war planning, including any documentation related to potential consequences for officials who used a commercial application to coordinate war plans, discuss whether to strike the Houthis, and include a journalist in such group chat.
    
6. New Executive Branch process reforms, safeguards, or protections implemented in response to senior national security officials inviting a journalist to a group chat where highly classified information was discussed, considered, and planned. 
    
7. Any other group chats or transcripts that were used to develop war plans or discuss sensitive national security information.
   
   

A PDF of the resolution can be found here.