Hacker breaches messaging app used by Trump's former adviser, hits over 60 officials

A cyberattack on the messaging platform TeleMessage, used by US President Donald Trump's former national security adviser Mike Waltz, has compromised communications from more than 60 US government officials. 

The leaked data reveals the breach affected a broader range of personnel than previously reported, raising fresh concerns over data security within the Trump-era administration, Caliber.Az reports per foreign media.

The cache, shared by nonprofit Distributed Denial of Secrets, includes messages from Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) responders, customs and diplomatic officials, a White House staffer, and members of the Secret Service. The messages span roughly 24 hours ending May 4 and were often fragmentary.

TeleMessage, a platform designed to archive messages from encrypted apps like Signal, was little known. The service was taken offline on May 5 “out of an abundance of caution.”

A FEMA aid applicant and a financial firm both confirmed their leaked messages were authentic.

Although no highly sensitive material was identified, some messages discussed travel logistics for senior officials, including groups labeled “POTUS | ROME-VATICAN | PRESS GC” and others referencing a trip to Jordan.

The White House confirmed it was “aware of the cyber security incident at Smarsh,” the Oregon-based company that owns TeleMessage, but offered no comment on usage. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the State Department, and other agencies declined to respond.

Jake Williams, a former National Security Agency (NSA) analyst, warned that even message metadata poses intelligence risks. “Even if you don't have the content, that is a top-tier intelligence access,” he said.

Waltz’s role in the breach remains unclear, and neither he nor the White House has addressed questions regarding his use of the app.

By Naila Huseynova