INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — U.S. Rep. André Carson on Wednesday called for consequences after Trump administration officials used the Signal app to discuss a planned air strike.
Jeffrey Goldberg, the editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, was mistakenly added to a group chat on Signal by National Security Advisor Mike Waltz involving a planned air strike against Houthi rebels in Yemen. The chat also included Vice President J.D. Vance, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and several other members of President Donald Trump’s national security team. Hegseth updated members of the chat on a planned timeline for the air strikes.
The Atlantic published the messages in full on Wednesday. They included posts from Hegseth noting at what time Navy F/A-18 multirole fighters were to launch, at what time MQ-9 Reaper drones would begin their attack, and when Navy ships would launch Tomahawk cruise missiles.
The issue dominated an already scheduled House Intelligence Committee hearing, with Democrats repeatedly pressing Trump administration officials on the potential risks posting such information on a publicly-available platform carries. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard said the chat never included any specifics about sources or targets. Carson, a Democrat who serves on the committee, told News 8 afterward he was “partially” satisfied by the answers administration officials gave but there needs to be consequences for such sensitive information being posted on the app, though he stopped short of calling for any resignations. He said the posting of such information outside of secure channels amounts to a security breach.
“(The messages) show very clearly the exact timing bombs were to be dropped. An outside person knowing when, where and how these things are happening, it puts our folks in the intelligence community and in our military in jeopardy,” Carson said.
Signal is a free app anyone can download onto their phone to communicate with other contacts who also have it. The app uses end-to-end encryption. Carson said it’s fine for personal use and businesses often use it, but it’s inappropriate for discussing national security information. The day before the strikes began, the Department of Defense warned personnel foreign adversaries, including Russia, are trying to hack the app.
Carson worked in the Indiana Intelligence Fusion Center before he entered politics. He said the intelligence community has multiple internal computer networks for communicating including the Joint Worldwide Intelligence Communications System, or JWICS.
“There are numerous platforms under the JWICS format that allow for secret communication. We did it when I worked for the Indiana Department of Homeland Security. We do it now on the intelligence committee,” he said.
Carson said, going forward, the Trump administration needs to take secure communications much more seriously.
Indiana Republicans in Congress defended the Trump administration. Sen. Jim Banks, who serves on the Senate Armed Services Committee, and Rep. Marlin Stutzman both said they stand by the administration and its national security team.
“No classified information was shared. The strike was executed with precision, successfully killing terrorists. Now, America is safer.”
Sen. Jim Banks, R-Ind.
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