Five Eyes is an intelligence alliance between the USA, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Photo: RNZ
Analysis - Can New Zealand and other members of the Five Eyes spy group trust the United States any longer, after a major blunder by top Trump officials?
That question is swirling around the world, after it was revealed a a group chat was held about military operations on an unclassified app by top power brokers in Washington, with a journalist added to the chat.
Five Eyes' members would be entirely justified to wonder just how secure their intelligence now was, various analysts are suggesting.
Donald Trump's head of defence, of National Intelligence and the CIA engaged in a group chat over several days on an unclassified - though encrypted - social media messaging app, Signal, about a strike on Yemeni rebels, with a journalist inside the chat.
Such disregard for normal security procedures will "cause allies to be very reluctant to share analysis and intelligence," said Ben Hodges, a former commander of US forces in Europe, The New York Times reported.
No one among the allies is saying as much, not yet, and certainly not New Zealand.
National's Judith Collins (file photo) Photo: RNZ / Angus Dreaver
Defence and spy agency minister Judith Collins, when asked if New Zealand still trusted the US with intelligence, did not give a clear response, but did say: "It's not useful."
Asked about any impact on New Zealand servicepeople helping with the Yemen operations, she said:
"I certainly haven't had a briefing on it, but I would say, that is not optimal activity."
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University of Waikato law professor Alexander Gillespie said Five Eyes did not need a reset - but this showed "a kind of recklessness" that posed a real risk to the small number of New Zealand servicepeople in the Middle East.
International law expert professor Alexander Gillespie Photo: Wayne Mead
US Democrat lawmaker Mark Warner said trust in Five Eyes was being eroded; he was among those who grilled the officials at a Senate hearing.
"This was not only sloppy, it not only violated all procedures, but if this information had gotten out, American lives could have been lost, [if] the Houthis had this information and could reposition their defensive systems."
Like Collins, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon had not been briefed.
His office said he would not talk about internal Five Eyes matters as that was not in New Zealand's national interest. He is also national security and intelligence minister.
"This is not done through the media," Collins' office told RNZ, on Wednesday.
However, both Downing Street and Canada's new prime minister Mark Carney commented. The former was sticking by the US, while Carney said mistakes could happen but that was another reason Canada must build its own defence capabilities.
The UK's opposition Liberal Democrats said the lapse showed the Trump administration could not be trusted.
Donald Trump called it a "glitch" and rejected calls for Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and others to quit.
Hegseth has repeatedly criticised Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server when she was secretary of state.
The Signal chat is now being investigated internally.
US National Security Advisor Michael Waltz, VP JD Vance (back), and Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth (right). Photo: AFP / Getty Images / Andrew Harnik
The New Zealand security and intelligence agencies' spokesperson would not discuss specific details or comment on "internal matters regarding our Five Eyes partners".
"There are robust, well established policies, processes and technology systems in place to ensure that, when we share classified intelligence, this is done securely and in accordance with New Zealand's priorities and law," they said in a statement on Wednesday.
"New Zealand has a long-standing relationship with its Five Eyes intelligence partners. This is vitally important to the safety and security of all New Zealanders."
The UK, Canada and Australia are the other Five Eyes partners.
Intelligence analyst Chris Taylor of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute told RNZ the event would add to the concerns that already existed with the new administration, but due to the "fundamentals" of the Five Eyes' relationship the countries would be asking deeper questions beyond just this one incident.
He echoed Canada's Carney about the lesson that all members need to do more to build up their own spy agencies.
The Australian federal government in Tuesday night's Budget put another $50m into the country's spy agencies.
Australian security expert Jennifer Parker Photo: Supplied/ANU
A researcher at the University of NSW and navy veteran Jennifer Parker, said it was very concerning.
"Depending on what military assets the US was using to conduct the strikes - for example, ships and aircraft - the information could have given away their positions. This could have allowed the Houthis to pre-emptively target these assets, which is another significant concern."
Allies needed to meet the US behind closed doors to understand more, Parker said.
Warner said American lives depended on intelligence from allies who had access to sources the US did not have.
"However, these relationships are not built in stone. They're not dictated by law. Things like the Five Eyes are based on trust."
In the Signal group chat, US Vice President J D Vance and Hegseth expressed loathing for the Europeans for "freeloading", calling it "pathetic". Trump later backed this.
Gillespie said the breach appeared to have little real impact militarily, and the potential for diplomatic damage was to his mind the bigger worry.
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