Editors of National Review Online ask the Trump administration to learn from a recent controversy.

Hegseth and various administration officials have repeatedly denied that any “classified information” or “war plans” whatsoever were ever disclosed on Signal. Even after Goldberg and The Atlantic released screenshots of the full Signal chat on Wednesday morning, the administration denied that any such information was inappropriately released. …

… Whatever Hegseth and the White House may claim, the information he put out over this unclassified — and at that very moment, compromised — network was extremely sensitive. Indeed, it was classified prima facie; it was born classified by its very nature. If someone who meant us harm had received this information, it would have put American pilots at further risk.

As a matter of crisis communications, it would have been better if Trump officials had simply admitted that they had made a grievous error and promised to tighten up their communications methods and procedures to ensure that all highly sensitive conversations were conducted in the appropriate venue. The strikes on the Houthi terrorists were, after all, successful, and no American lives were lost in the operation.

But the Trump habit of always hitting back at perceived enemies and never admitting mistakes under any circumstances set administration officials up for what was easily predictable: Goldberg’s subsequent revelations proved that administration officials’ answers to the controversy were self-serving, Clintonian, and dishonest.

Obviously, Waltz, Hegseth, and every other administration official should now ensure that future sensitive conversations that touch on foreign policy and military planning are conducted in the appropriate, lawful venues, no matter the seeming inconvenience in the moment. Just because Signal can be a useful tool in some contexts, it does not follow that it is more secure than the official classified communications channels.

Hegseth, appropriately, wants to focus the military on warfighting. But this episode shows that some fights aren’t worth having.