Trump backs aide over chat leak

Insists no classified material was shared

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US President Donald Trump downplayed a growing scandal on Tuesday after a journalist was accidentally added to a group chat about air strikes on Yemen, denying any classified information was shared and defending a top aide over the breach.

Mr Trump said he would "look into" the role of the Signal app as he put on a united front at a meeting with US National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, who inadvertently included The Atlantic magazine's Jeffrey Goldberg in the conversation of top national security officials.

As Democrats scented blood for perhaps the first time since the Republican returned to power in January, Mr Trump doubled down by attacking Goldberg as a "sleazebag" and said "nobody gives a damn" about the ivory rocking Washington.