Overview

• Federal Judge James Boasberg has ordered the Trump administration to preserve Signal messages from March 11-15, 2025, related to a military operation against Yemen's Houthi militia.
• The order follows a lawsuit by American Oversight, alleging violations of federal record-keeping laws due to the use of self-deleting messages on Signal.
• The accidental inclusion of journalist Jeffrey Goldberg in the chat led to the publication of sensitive military details by The Atlantic, sparking bipartisan criticism and public backlash.
• The Trump administration faces a March 31 deadline to demonstrate compliance with the preservation order, as political and legal pressures mount.
• President Trump has dismissed the controversy as a 'witch hunt,' defending his officials, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, against calls for accountability.