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2d ago

Trump Removes Waltz After Use of Less Secure Messaging App Raises Alarms

Photos show Mike Waltz, recently ousted as national security adviser, using an unofficial Signal variant that compromises encryption for message archiving.

National Security Advisor Mike Waltz checks his mobile phone during a Cabinet meeting at the White House on April 30, 2025.
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Overview

  • Mike Waltz was removed as national security adviser and nominated as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations after revelations of his use of TM SGNL, a less secure Signal variant.
  • Photographs from a Trump cabinet meeting revealed Waltz using TM SGNL, which allows message archiving but may compromise end-to-end encryption.
  • The White House confirmed Signal is an approved app for government use but has not clarified the use of TM SGNL, which is not officially sanctioned.
  • The controversy follows a prior security breach where Waltz accidentally included a journalist in a Signal chat about Yemen airstrike plans.
  • Experts suggest TM SGNL may have been adopted to comply with federal record-keeping laws, highlighting tensions between security and legal obligations.