What information was classified

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Caine commissioned in 1990 as an Air Force officer through the Virginia Military Institute’s Reserve Officers’ Training Corps, and has flown more than 150 combat hours in his career. He has served in the Air National Guard, at the senior level of Joint Special Operations Command, and at the CIA as the associate director for military affairs.

He was repeatedly asked Tuesday about high-profile national security stories from the first few months of the Trump administration, including a Signal chat used by topnational security officials to discuss a military country email list operation against the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen. Caine largely dodged the questions on the chat, but said it is important to “protect the element of surprise” in military operations.

“I think we all can agree that we need to always protect the element of surprise,” Caine said. He added that he has “always used the right system for the right kinds of communications.”

“I don’t know in particular, you know, in what way on that Signal chat,” Caine said.