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Why does this administration use the Signal messaging app to discuss war plans? [1]

['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.']

Date: 2025-03-25

By now, everyone is aware of the explodsive story that the the editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, Jeffrey Goldberg, was added to a group chat on the messaging app Signal, featuring some of the most senior members of the U.S. government, where they discussed imminent plans to attack Houthi targets in Yemen earlier this month.

x American war planning usually takes place in highly secure facilities. But the Trump administration planned its strikes on the Houthis using a group chat—and accidentally included The Atlantic’s editor in chief, @jeffreygoldberg.bsky.social. theatln.tc/AmsjsuT6 — The Atlantic (@theatlantic.com) 2025-03-24T20:43:05.730Z

There is a lot of outrage and plenty of mockery from Democrats, calling the administration members ignorant, dumb, stupid and the equivalent of the bumbling Three Stooges. But there is lot more to the story than the accidental inclusion of Jeffrey Goldberg by national security adviser Michael Waltz in the group chat.

Why were they using the Signal app on their cell phones in the first place? Anyone with a clearance knows that classified information can only be exchanged or discussed using U.S. government authorized equipment — specialized phones, computers and apps - from a specially designed space known as a SCIF. These folks at the highest levels in the national security chain are well aware of this and get regular periodic training on these matters. And yet they chose to use Signal over cell phones. Why?

Also, Waltz set some of the messages in the Signal group to disappear after one week, and some after four. These officials certainly know that messages about official acts are considered records that should be preserved. So, why?

So, inquiring minds want to know —

What is the reason this meeting was held using the Signal app and cell-phones? Was it just convenience or something more nefarious? Stupidity or ignorance does not cut it. We can only speculate, but we won’t. Why are they deleting official messages? One can only suspect nefarious reasons. Even if Waltz wrongfully initiated the Signal meeting, why did other high ranking officials and cabinet members not object? How many other meetings on national security matters have been conducted using Signal? How many other apps are used to exchange classified info? Does trump use Signal and other commercial apps for discussing national security matters? How much classified material has potentially been leaked so far in the two months of this administration? Have they even established any protocols and procedures for using apps like Signal for such meetings? How do you verify the identity of participating members? Is there a security officer involved? Are there training classes? Is everyone with a security clearance now cleared to use Signal? If not, why not? Will there be any sort of inquiry? Will any heads roll? Will all members in this group be reprimanded? Will administration take action to stop the use of commercial apps for classified meetings? Or will it simply feign ignorance, lie, attack the media and the press, and go on about business as usual.

Senator Elizabeth Warren has similar questions -

x This is blatantly illegal and dangerous beyond belief. Our national security is in the hands of complete amateurs. What other highly sensitive national security conversations are happening over group chat? Any other random people accidentally added to those, too? — Elizabeth Warren (@warren.senate.gov) 2025-03-24T17:58:30.859Z

Josh Marshall at talkingpointsmemo.com/… writes -

Using a Signal app like this is hiding what’s happening from the government itself. And that is almost certainly not an unintended byproduct but the very reason for the use. These are disappearing communications. They won’t be in the national archives. Future administrations won’t know what happened. There also won’t be any records to determine whether crimes were committed. This is clearly routine in the Trump administration. How many of President Trump’s conversations with foreign leaders are happening on these apps? It’s the obvious place for bribes, various kinds of criminal conduct, asking foreign governments to do dirty jobs, maybe against American citizens, that Trump doesn’t dare try himself.

There is much to not like about this administration and every day we discover more about their destructive plans. Let’s keep this story alive, let’s call them dangerous not dumb, and let’s keep hammering away at the dastardly deeds of trump and his cronies.

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