Trump questions Signal's security after journalist added to sensitive group chat

President Donald Trump raised doubts about the security of the encrypted messaging app Signal, suggesting that it could be “defective” after a journalist was inadvertently added to a group chat that included his senior administration officials discussing sensitive military operations.

During a press conference in the Oval Office on March 26, Trump criticized the media for focusing on the incident instead of his administration's business achievements. In response to repeated questions about the accidental inclusion of Jeffrey Goldberg, the editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, in a Signal chat discussing airstrikes in Yemen, the President questioned the app's effectiveness, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

“I don’t know that Signal works. I think Signal could be defective to be honest with you,” Trump remarked. “Because you use Signal and we use Signal and everybody uses Signal, but it could be a defective platform and we’re going to have to find that out.”

The controversy stemmed from an incident on March 24 when Goldberg was mistakenly added to a group chat led by White House National Security Advisor Mike Waltz. The group was discussing a U.S. airstrike on Houthi militants in Yemen. Despite the Pentagon’s swift denial of any classified information being shared through the app, The Atlantic later published screenshots from the conversation on March 26. The screenshots revealed sensitive details, including the date, time, and location of the strikes.

Signal, which is known for its end-to-end encryption, is considered one of the most secure messaging platforms available. However, U.S. law mandates that government officials discuss national security matters and transmit classified information only through communication platforms that are specifically authorized for such purposes.

The Pentagon has denied that classified data was compromised in the incident, but the incident raises questions about the vulnerability of private messaging apps in handling sensitive government communications.

By Vugar Khalilov