Private messaging apps are often used for personal conversations. But when government officials use them for national security discussions, it raises serious concerns.
A new lawsuit is challenging the use of the Signal app by senior officials in Donald Trump’s administration.
The case argues that using this encrypted chat platform for military decisions violates federal laws on record-keeping, reports Ukrinform.
The non-governmental organization American Oversight has filed the lawsuit in Washington. It targets five top officials from Trump’s administration.
The group claims that these officials failed to properly preserve important government records.
They are asking a federal judge to order them to restore and retain records that were created through Signal.
The officials named in the lawsuit include Pete Hegseth, the former Pentagon chief. Other defendants are Tulsi Gabbard, who was Director of National Intelligence, and John Ratcliffe, the former CIA Director.
The lawsuit also names Treasury Secretary Scott Bessant and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The National Archives and Records Administration has also been included in the legal challenge.
The controversy started when Jeffrey Goldberg, editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, revealed a major mistake.
He said the Trump administration accidentally added him to a private Signal chat discussing a secret military operation.
The conversation was about planned U.S. strikes on Yemen’s Houthi rebels.
After Goldberg's revelation, the Trump administration admitted the chat was real. They confirmed that national security discussions had taken place on Signal. The situation quickly became a political issue.
Mike Waltz, the National Security Advisor at the time, accepted responsibility for the mistake.
He said he had accidentally included Goldberg in the chat. President Trump later defended Waltz, showing his support despite the incident.
The lawsuit raises broader concerns about government transparency. Federal law requires officials to maintain records of significant decisions.
Critics argue that using encrypted apps like Signal allows them to avoid accountability.
The case could have lasting effects on how future administrations handle sensitive communications.
For now, it remains a legal battle over national security, technology, and government secrecy.
