Major Garrett opens The Takeout with a roundup of this week’s top national security, political, immigration and economic stories, starting with the Pentagon inspector general’s report on the so‑called Signalgate affair and moving through questions about U.S. strikes near Venezuela, a presidential pardon, immigration enforcement directives, and the latest economic debate with the White House’s top economist.
Signalgate and the Pentagon IG
In March, then‑National Security Advisor Michael Waltz set up a Signal group that included senior officials. Operational messages describing strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen—launch times, aircraft, and timing—were posted there and were later published after Atlantic journalist Jeffrey Goldberg was mistakenly added to the chat. The Pentagon inspector general found that sharing operational details on Signal risked mission and troop safety and concluded Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth violated Defense Department protocols by using a personal phone for official business. The IG noted the messages originated from CENTCOM with classification markings but did not determine whether they had been declassified before being shared; Hegseth does have declassification authority. The Pentagon says the report found no sharing of classified information; critics call that a technical reading given the sensitivity of the details. Lawmakers on both sides criticized the conduct: Senator Jack Reed warned that the behavior showed poor judgment that could have jeopardized personnel, while Representative Michael McCaul described the episode as reckless but not criminal. Observers reiterated that although Signal is encrypted, it is not an appropriate place for sensitive operational details.
Venezuela strikes, chain of command, and legal questions
Reporting about U.S. strikes off Venezuela on September 2 indicates follow‑up strikes hit survivors, prompting questions from media and outside lawyers about whether repeated attacks on people already struck could amount to war crimes. Senator Reed said congressional committees will demand Admiral Frank “Mitch” Bradley explain his role and the orders given; deliberate attacks on survivors, he said, would likely constitute a war crime. Reed criticized the administration’s handling as ad hoc and risky. Representative McCaul defended some maritime interdiction as lawful under counter‑drug and self‑defense rationales for actions in international waters designed to stop narcotics bound for the U.S., but he acknowledged that Congress should have been better briefed and said messaging and oversight were lacking. President Trump suggested operations could expand to strikes on land inside Venezuela; Reed responded that there is no legal basis for attacks on a sovereign nation without congressional authorization and called the administration’s approach confused.
Pardons: Henry Cuellar
President Trump pardoned Representative Henry Cuellar and his wife. Cuellar had been indicted on bribery‑related charges but had not been convicted and denied wrongdoing. The White House framed the pardon as a corrective measure amid claims the indictment was politically motivated because Cuellar opposed ‘‘open borders.’’ Reporters noted the pardon fits a broader pattern of clemencies extended to allies and supporters.
Economy and the Fed: Kevin Hassett
Kevin Hassett, director of the National Economic Council and discussed as a potential Fed chair candidate, joined the conversation on jobs, manufacturing, and inflation. Private payroll provider ADP reported a net decline of about 32,000 private jobs in November with notable small‑business losses, though Hassett stressed that official Bureau of Labor Statistics measures remain the key barometer. He argued that productivity gains—some attributed to AI—help explain robust GDP without correspondingly fast job growth. The White House expects a near‑term rebound in economic activity, including a recovery from the government shutdown period, and points to capital spending and new factory activity as evidence that supply improvements are helping tamp down inflation pressures. Hassett cautioned that sentiment surveys can be distorted by temporary events such as shutdowns and emphasized the administration will judge trends based on incoming official data.
Immigration enforcement and Somali community reports
CBS reports that the administration ordered ICE to target undocumented Somali immigrants in the Minneapolis–St. Paul area and that the president used disparaging language about Somali immigrants in a White House meeting. Representative Pete Aguilar, whose district includes many immigrants, called the president’s remarks unhinged and accused the administration of weaponizing ICE—conducting disruptive raids, rounding up nonviolent immigrants, and harming communities. Aguilar urged prioritizing removals of violent criminals and demanded vigorous oversight. Separately, the administration reportedly paused immigration case proceedings and naturalization ceremonies for nationals of roughly 19 countries, a move critics say injures vetted immigrants and damages local communities and economies.
Other reporting highlights
House Democrats released previously unseen images and video from Jeffrey Epstein’s properties in the U.S. Virgin Islands, which observers described as disturbing. In Tennessee, Republican Matt Van Epps narrowly won a special election after heavy GOP spending. In Indiana, an intense redistricting battle has produced threats, bomb threats, and swatting incidents targeting state lawmakers; law enforcement warned that such hoaxes and intimidation tactics are dangerous, criminal, and risk inspiring copycats.
Pentagon accountability and congressional oversight
Garrett notes ongoing congressional activity: multiple hearings and investigations will probe the Signal chat, the chain of command around operational decisions, and policies on using commercial apps for sensitive military matters. Lawmakers warn that normalizing discussion of operational details on unclassified platforms could imperil force protection and military effectiveness, and they stressed that inconsistent accountability undermines discipline.
What to watch
– The full Pentagon IG report release and any public testimony by Admiral Bradley or others about the September strikes.
– Congressional oversight of Signalgate, rules for operational security, and possible disciplinary or legal actions.
– Developments on reported ICE directives, enforcement in Minneapolis–St. Paul, and related legal and congressional challenges.
– Upcoming economic releases—BLS payrolls, manufacturing readings, GDP updates—and any White House decision on a Fed chair nominee.
End note
Major Garrett closed The Takeout with the program’s signature line about remaining relentlessly curious, reliably civil, and occasionally clever, and previewed upcoming segments and The Daily Report.