In-depth review????????

Gabbard says there will be 'in-depth review' after Signal chat issue

Bernd Debusmann, Caitlin Wilson

Back at Capitol Hill where lawmakers are questioning members of this Signal group chat, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard is talking about the chat and its contents.

She tells the House Intelligence Committee that the National Security Council will conduct "an in-depth review along with technical experts" to determine how the reporter was added to the group chat with top US officials.

Testifying to lawmakers at a hearing of the House Intelligence Committee, Gabbard reiterates the stance of the Trump administration that it "was a mistake" that the reporter was added to the chat with high-level staff "having a policy discussion".

The conversation was "candid and sensitive", she says, but insists "no classified information was shared".

Gabbard says the Signal app "comes pre-installed on government devices", and cites guidance from the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency last year, which she says mentions the app as an example of a messaging service with end-to-end encryption.

"Ideally these conversations occur in person", she says, but sometimes "fast-moving" co-ordination is necessary when people are not able to meet face-to-face.

She adds that a newly filed lawsuit over the Signal group chat would prevent her from discussing some details about the issue.