Mike Waltz Says He ‘Never Met’ Atlantic Editor Jeffrey Goldberg—A 2021 Photo Shows Them Inches Apart
National Security Advisor Mike Waltz says he’s never met Jeffrey Goldberg. But an unearthed photo posted to X Wednesday tells a different story—yet many still “fully do not” believe the two ever knew each other.
Michael Waltz claimed that he’s “never met, don’t know, never communicated with” Jeffrey Goldberg.
— Anna Bower (@AnnaBower) March 26, 2025
Here’s a photo of Waltz standing next to Goldberg during a 2021 event at the French Embassy.
The event Waltz attended—a Q&A with a French filmmaker—was moderated by Goldberg. pic.twitter.com/eTqOY7xnTl
Waltz’s denial came Tuesday—just one day after The Atlantic reported that Waltz had added its editor-in-chief, Jeffrey Goldberg, to a Signal chat discussing U.S. airstrikes on Houthi targets in Yemen.
Waltz claimed he’d “never met, never communicated with” Goldberg and was now investigating “how the heck” the journalist got added.
Waltz: There's a lot of journalists in this city who have made big names for themselves, making up lies about this president, whether it's the Russia hoax or making up lies about gold star families, and this one in particular I've never met, don't know, never communicated with,… pic.twitter.com/AHXyrKgcbG
— Acyn (@Acyn) March 25, 2025
By Wednesday, that version of events began to crack. Journalist Anna Bower tweeted a 2021 photo showing Waltz standing inches from Goldberg at a French Embassy event in Washington, D.C. The screening, hosted in partnership with The Atlantic, featured a conversation with French philosopher Bernard-Henri Lévy—Waltz’s alleged friend—just before the film began.
While the image doesn’t prove the two were introduced, it complicates Waltz’s claim of having no knowledge of Goldberg.
“He never claimed he didn’t stand in front of Goldberg,” one person responded to the resurfaced photo. “Do you know for a fact that they were introduced?”
I fully do NOT believe Waltz. Period. But Goldberg standing *behind* him (not next to him) at an event isn't more evidence than <checks notes> his cell phone number being in his phone. This isn't the smoking gun you think it is.
— Scott Liewehr 🐻⬇️ (@sliewehr) March 26, 2025
“I fully do NOT believe Waltz. Period. But Goldberg standing behind him (not next to him) at an event isn't more evidence than <checks notes> his cell phone number being in his phone,” another posted. “This isn't the smoking gun you think it is.”
Despite the mounting questions, Waltz has maintained his stance. He also accepted “full responsibility” for creating the Signal chat, calling the situation “embarrassing,” during a Fox News appearance and accused Goldberg of being a “loser” who may have “deliberately” manipulated his way into the group.
Goldberg responded Wednesday by publishing additional screenshots from the signal thread.
The messages begin: “Michael Waltz added you to the group” and appear to show discussions of specific airstrike plans—undermining the administration’s assertion that the information wasn’t classified.
But voices from across the aisle—including conservative journalists—are urging Waltz and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to resign.
