The White House is fighting back against media reports by claiming intelligence officials use end-to-end encrypted messaging app signals to claim that they are described as “false” in a statement from Fox News Digital.
A statement from National Security Council (NSC) spokesman Brian Hughes comes after Politico released a report suggesting Trump national security adviser Mike Waltz and his team frequently used to discuss sensitive communications on a variety of different issues.
“This is a clear attempt by some people to obscure the simple truth, and the president and his national security team are bringing it to the nation by facing our enemies, facing our allies and bringing peace through force,” Hughes said in a statement in Fox News Digital.
The White House reiterates its support for the Waltz, which it considers signal chat leak cases “closed,” the spokesperson says.
Hughes added that the signal is related to “approved” messaging apps, particularly uncategorized information.”
Signal encrypted messaging application can be seen on mobile devices in this illustration photo from Warsaw, Poland on March 26, 2025 (Jaap Arriens/Nurphoto via Getty Images)
Questions have circulated about the Trump administration’s use of signals since Jeffrey Goldberg of the Atlantic announced his exposure, claiming that he was misinformed into a sensitive group chat on an encrypted messaging app. Critics of the Trump administration said the message contained a “war plan” against attacks on Yemen’s Hooti rebels.
There was a debate as to whether the information discussed in the chat revealed by Goldberg was categorized information or included a “war plan.”
Media coverage from the Wall Street Journal, Politico and the Washington Post claims that Waltz and his team frequently used signalling and other public messaging platforms to discuss sensitive topics and official government businesses.
Joint Chief Chair Trump Pick says in signal chat leaks they should protect the Senate’s “surprise element”
“It is appropriate to use signals to send uncategorized information, and these same facts have been reported multiple times in the past few days,” Hughes said, noting that there are federal agencies that “automatically install” signals on government devices.
“Some of the NSC use signaling apps, like many areas of the media and the federal government,” Hughes added. “All communications reflect a thoughtful dialogue of those who have committed to the effective implementation of the President’s agenda.”
Waltz is responsible for leaked signalling chats that Goldberg misaccepted, but he also claimed that it was argued in the messaging thread that “no information has been classified.” (Getty Images; Fox News)
In December, before President Trump took over the White House from Joe Biden, cybersecurity and infrastructure security agencies called on governments and political authorities to switch to end-to-end encrypted messaging platforms such as signals.
DEMS has a long history of supporting encrypted signal apps before Trump chat leaks
Still, critics of the Trump administration are demanding an answer. On Tuesday, Democrats on the House Oversight Committee sent a letter to “non-principles officials,” who were part of the original signal group chat, which mistakenly contained Goldberg.
A letter calling for individuals who say Democrats have “direct knowledge of sensitive national security information about signals and/or classified national security information debates” appears for a transcribed interview before Congress.
Rep. Jerry Connolly, a ranking member of the House Oversight Committee, also sent another letter to Waltz Tuesday, requiring that he and his staff stop using Google’s Gmail for official government businesses after the Washington Post released a report claiming that members of the President’s National Security Council were using personal Gmail accounts to discuss official businesses.
Rep. Jerry Connolly, R-Va. , ranking member of the House Oversight Committee (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)
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A letter to Waltz requested that he or his staff take over all communications related to official government businesses that he or she has sent via signals or other “unauthorized messaging and email applications and platforms.”
Waltz is responsible for leaked signalling chats that Goldberg misaccepted, but he also claimed that it was argued in the messaging thread that “no information has been classified.”
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