Reports have emerged regarding the Trump administration’s use of the encrypted messaging application Signal, prompting the company to issue a statement on Tuesday reaffirming the security of its platform. Signal emphasized that its software remains the “gold standard for private, secure communications.”
The situation unfolded when the editor-in-chief of The Atlantic was inadvertently included in a messaging group of senior Trump officials planning military actions against the Houthis in Yemen. This incident has led to criticism, with outlets like NPR highlighting a supposed “vulnerability” in the messaging application and suggesting that Russian hacking groups might exploit such weaknesses to spy on encrypted communications.
Signal has responded to NPR’s claims, declaring that no vulnerabilities in their technology exist. Instead, the term “vulnerability” referenced in the discussion pertains to phishing scams that target Signal users, not flaws in Signal’s encryption or core technology. Phishing attacks are a known issue across many applications and are not specific to Signal.
The company asserted that it continually implements new user flows and in-app warnings to counteract phishing threats. These security measures had already been in place prior to this situation. Signal also noted that it remains open source, allowing for continuous scrutiny of its code through regular audits and actively addressing any security reports submitted to security@signal.org. The company maintains its commitment to safeguarding communications against external threats, positioning itself as a leader in secure messaging solutions.
President Donald Trump confirmed that an individual from the office of national security advisor Mike Waltz added The Atlantic’s editor-in-chief to a Signal group chat with high-ranking Trump officials discussing potential military operations in Yemen. During a phone interview with NBC, Trump explained that the inclusion of Jeffrey Goldberg, The Atlantic’s editor-in-chief, was inadvertent and attributed it to a staffer’s oversight. Trump assured that this incident did not affect military operations in Yemen.
Goldberg later published an article detailing his accidental addition to a Signal group chat, reportedly named “Houthi PC Small Group,” which comprised notable government officials, including Mike Waltz, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, and others.
This security breach has ignited criticism from several Democrats, who have called for resignations and demanded testimonies from Pete Hegseth and Mike Waltz before Congress regarding this incident.