When asked by journalists, Rubio stated that “it is obvious that someone made a big mistake and added a journalist” to the conversation. “I have nothing against journalists, but they shouldn’t have been there,” he emphasized.

He attempted to downplay his own role in the matter, stating that he participated in the conversation only to send a congratulatory message after the attacks were completed.

At the same time, he argued that the information exchanged via the app was not intended for public release. As he mentioned, the Pentagon has assured that none of this information jeopardized the lives of military personnel.