Democrats, dating back nearly a decade, have been promoting the use of encrypted messaging app signals, long before the Trump administration was in the national spotlight to discuss its plans to attack Yemeni terrorists.
“We have all these signal chats. If there’s no signal, just go on the signal, are you okay? Don’t trust me… you get the signal,” Texas Democrat Jasmine Crockett said Saturday in a speech before a human rights campaign event in Los Angeles.
Crockett promoted the use of signals in the context of protected chats among colleagues. For example, the “Dem Women’s Caucus Chat” to which she belongs, and how Democrats exchange scattlebats from the hill.
The encrypted messaging app is now in the spotlight after it was revealed to be debated by a Signal Group Chat, which discusses plans to attack Yemeni terrorists, including Atlantic Editor-in-Chief Jeffrey Goldberg. The chat was published on a direct account of a group chat published by Goldberg in Monday’s article.
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Rep. Jasmine Crockett promoted the signalling app in comments over the weekend. (Allison Bailey/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images)
“The Trump administration accidentally texted its war plan,” the article on Monday came into the headline.
The Trump administration claims that the information classified in the chat has not been shared, and it doubled on Wednesday that the Atlantic story was a “hoologue” after Goldberg published certain texts from the chat. The message included Defense Secretary Pete Hegses, who outlined that the fighter planes had taken off and the drones were ready for operation.
The encrypted messaging app is now in the spotlight after the top national security leader was revealed in a signal group chat debating plans to attack Yemeni terrorists. (Yves Herman/Reuters)
“So, let’s straighten this. The Atlantic has released what is called “war plans” and “including those “plans”: no target. No place. unit. No route. No sauce. No way.
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“These are really sh —y war plans. This proves only one thing. Jeff Goldberg has never seen a war plan or a “attack plan” (he’s calling it now).
Jeffrey Goldberg will speak at the stage at the “Nancy Pelosi of the Power of Art” panel at the Atlantic Festival 2024, held in Washington in September 2024. (Jemal Countess/Getty Images in the Atlantic)
The Atlantic said on Wednesday the outlet released its “war plan” and directed Fox Digital to a screenshot of Heggs’ message about a strategy to eliminate the Houthi rebels.
“This information, especially if an American aircraft were taking off for Yemen, fell into the wrong hands during that important two-hour period, could have put American pilots and other American staff at even greater risk than they normally would.”
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The use of signals is not in the context of war or military operations, but has become more and more common within the DC Beltway in recent months.
The app grew in popularity after a hacker linked to China in October 2024 was discovered during the campaign to target US mobile phone data, including data belonging to President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance, Politico reported Tuesday.
Several years before the signal leak, which included rage from the Trump administration and subsequent Democrats and other critics, Democrats repeatedly touted the signal as an additional precaution against the potential hack.
Democrats have repeatedly touted the signal as an additional precaution against potential hacking. (Artur widak/nurphoto via Getty Images)
According to the Vanity Fair at the time, the 2016 DNC email leak was heated that year, and staff members emailed and downloaded signals during a 2016 campaign when the Democratic National Committee pited the former Secretary of State against Trump.
“We were told that a signal was given to a meeting staff member who said ‘Snowden had approved’. Two people who worked at the DNC and the Clinton Campaign said one week after the meeting at the Campaign headquarters, an email was sent to tell staff where to download the app and how to use it.
In a 2018 article for Politico, the party’s chief technology advisor detailed how the DNC is working to protect against future hacking, reported that he used cues to communicate with his team.
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National Security Advisor Mike Waltz deals with leaks in the “Ingraham Angle” signal text chain. (Sail Loeb/Pool/AFP via Getty Images)
“They chat with the DNC Sisters Committee and cyber experts from third-party vendors via Wickr with encrypted messaging app signals to discuss suspicious cases and other information,” said the 2018 Politico Story.
Democrat Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden, who called on Hegses and national security adviser Mike Waltz to step down from leaking signal chats, praised the 2017 sergeant for approving the use of signals for lawmakers and staff.
“With the move to default HTTP for all other Senate websites and the recent announcement that end-to-end encrypted messaging app signals have been approved for use by Senate staff, we are pleased to recognize the important role of defense cybersecurity that encryption can play.”
Democrat Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden has called on Hegses and national security adviser Mike Waltz to step down from leaking signal chats. (Drew Anger/Getty Images)
Other groups, including media outlets and reporters, promote signals as a secure way of communication, such as the Washington Post and the New York Times, which provide chiplines via encrypted apps.
The Loudoan County Democrats, representing the Democrats in Northern Virginia, advised in February that “it would be wise to use them by federal workers and active Democrat volunteers.”
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And House Surveillance and Government Reform Democrats have posted tip lines related to signals that allow users to report potential fraud related to the second Trump administration. Tipline said individuals should “not submit classification or other information that is prohibited from being released by this form, email, or signaling app.”
Fox News Digital reported on Tuesday that Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va), vice-chairman of the Senate Selection Committee, will use signal work with Russian oligarch lobbyists to connect with the disgraceful author of Steele Dossier. Warner was one of the Democrats who denounced Trump administration officials on Signal Chat at a Senate hearing on Wednesday.
Senator Mark Warner, chairman of the Intelligence Email Committee of the Senate Selection Committee. (Reuters)
“The signal worked well for Senator Warner when he wanted to meet up with the dishonorable liar Christopher Steele. It’s a bit surprising that Warner pretends to be so mad about it today.”
“The fact that Fox News owns these messages shows exactly why they don’t use signals to discuss classified national security materials like war plans,” Warner spokesman Rachel Cohen told Fox News Digital on Tuesday.
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Fox Digital reported Tuesday that the federal agency responsible for ensuring cybersecurity at all levels of the government cited the use of encrypted messaging app signals as “best practices” for “highly targeted” government officials.
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) outlined it in a guide for federal employees who encrypted messages such as signal protected officials against foreign enemy hackers amid China-linked cyber violations. CISA is an office under the Department of Homeland Security and is accused of ensuring cybersecurity across all levels of government.
President Donald Trump signs a series of executive orders at the White House oval office. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
Under the 2024 Biden administration, CISA released “Mobile Communication Best Practice Guidance” for “highly targeted individuals” defined as government officials or politicians “are likely to own information of interest to these threat actors.” The document noted that the guide was “applicable to all viewers,” but specifically addressed high-target politicians and officials.
Biden-era guidance encouraged the use of signaling apps by highly targeted government officials: “Best Practices”
“We employ free messaging applications for secure communications, such as signals and similar apps, to ensure end-to-end encryption,” the guidance states. “CISA recommends end-to-end encrypted messaging apps compatible with both iPhone and Android operating systems, allowing text messaging interoperability across platforms. Such apps may offer clients for MacO, Windows, Linux and sometimes web. Images that can enhance privacy.”
A previous Pentagon memo issued in 2023 also details that signals have been approved by government officials for some degree of use, but cannot use the platform to “access, send and process private DOD information.”
White House spokesman Karoline Leavitt said the signal is a “approved app” for government officials. (Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images)
White House press chief Karoline Leavitt said during a press conference Wednesday that the signal is a “approved app” for government officials, saying “the CIA is loaded into government calls as it is the safest and most efficient way to communicate.”
CIA director John Ratcliffe appeared before the Senate Intelligence Email Committee on Tuesday morning for an annual hearing on the global threat facing the US, highlighting that signals had already been downloaded to his government equipment when he was sworn in January as CIA chief.
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“One of the first things that happened when the CIA director saw me when the signal was loaded onto the CIA computer was about the use of the signal by people at CIA Records Management, as it was one of the things that was explained very early on for most CIA officers.
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