Rep. Pat Harrigan (RN.C.) has addressed a recent revelation indicating that the Trump administration accidentally sent messages to journalists regarding a military operation in Yemen.
Following reports about the use of Signal by President Donald Trump’s administration, the company released a statement on Tuesday to clarify, asserting it is the “gold standard for secure and private communication.”
On Monday, the Atlantic’s editor-in-chief disclosed that he had been mistakenly added to a messaging thread involving Trump officials who were planning strikes against the Houthis in Yemen.
The report has faced significant backlash, with NPR highlighting “vulnerabilities” identified in messaging apps, indicating that specialized Russian hacking groups might exploit these to monitor encrypted discussions.
In response to NPR’s findings, Signal noted that claims regarding their “vulnerability” were misrepresented.
“The memo mentioned ‘vulnerability’ with respect to signals, but it did not pertain to the core technology of Signal. It served as a caution against phishing scams aimed at Signal users,” the statement said. “Phishing is not new; it is not an imperfection in the encryption technology that underpins Signal. Phishing attacks are an ongoing risk for widely-used applications and websites.
“To shield users from sophisticated phishing threats, Signal has implemented new user processes and in-app alerts,” the statement elaborated. “This initiative has been ongoing and is not related to the current situation.
“As Signal is open source, its code receives continuous review in addition to regular formal security audits,” Kore noted. “We are also consistently monitoring security@signal.org for new issues and respond promptly to safeguard those who depend on us from external threats like phishing, providing warnings and protections. This will continue to be the benchmark for private, secure communication.”
US President Donald Trump will pose a question to a reporter at a press conference in the White House Roosevelt Room in Washington, DC on January 21, 2025. (Andrew Harnik / Getty Images / Getty Images)
Signal is an encrypted messaging platform that functions similarly to texting and calling but incorporates extra security features to protect the privacy of communications.
On Tuesday, Trump disclosed that staff members from national security adviser Mike Waltz had included the Atlantic editor-in-chief in a group chat involving senior Trump officials discussing plans for a military operation against the Houthi rebels in Yemen.
“It came from one of Michael’s staff over the phone. They had a number there.” Trump informed NBC during a phone interview, when queried about how Goldberg ended up in the prominent chat.
Iran’s leaders caution Trump about potential “severe backlash” following threats to the Houthis
R-Fla. Rep. Michael Waltz is pictured with House minority leader, R-Calif. Kevin McCarthy. (Photo: Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
The president emphasized that Goldberg’s involvement in group chats “has no impact on the Yemen operation whatsoever.”
Goldberg published a piece detailing how he was added to the Signal Group Chat on March 11th. It features Waltz, Defense Secretary Pete Hegses, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, White House Chief of Staff Susie Wills, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Vice President JD Vance.
Click here to download the Fox News app
The inclusion of journalists in group chats has drawn ire from Democrats. Due to their security roles, and others are calling for them to testify on the issue before Congress.
