Mike Waltz’s Signal Use at Cabinet Meeting: A Controversy
April 30, 2025
Background
In a surprising turn of events, Mike Waltz, the former national security adviser to President Donald Trump, was photographed using the messaging application Signal during a Cabinet meeting on Wednesday. This occurrence took place one day prior to Trump’s announcement of Waltz’s replacement by Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
The Meeting and the Photo
The image, captured by a Reuters photographer, shows Waltz engaged on his mobile device while attending the meeting. Reports indicate that he was messaging several notable figures, including Vice President JD Vance, Rubio, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, and Steve Witkoff, the Middle East envoy.
Official Response
White House Communications Director Steven Cheung defended Waltz’s use of Signal, emphasizing that it is an approved application on government devices. “Signal is an approved app that is loaded onto our government phones. Thank you for your attention to this matter,” Cheung stated.
Previous Controversies
Waltz faced criticism in March when he inadvertently included The Atlantic journalist Jeffrey Goldberg in a Signal group chat with other national security officials, where sensitive discussions regarding a U.S. military response in Yemen were held. Waltz claimed he was unaware of how Goldberg joined the chat and insisted that no confidential information was disclosed. President Trump supported Waltz amid these controversies.
Recent Developments
On Thursday, Trump announced his intention to nominate Waltz as the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, with Rubio stepping in as interim national security adviser while retaining his current responsibilities. Despite the formal backing from the administration, sources indicated that Trump had grown increasingly dissatisfied with Waltz following intense scrutiny related to his use of Signal.
Investigation into Signal Usage
The Pentagon’s internal watchdog had previously criticized the use of Signal by a former official, citing violations of records retention policies. This prompted an investigation by Department of Defense Inspector General Steven Stebbins into Hegseth’s use of the app during a Yemen mission. Reports confirm that further inquiries into Signal use are ongoing, particularly regarding shared information about military operations.
Ongoing Legislative Challenges
Efforts by Democratic leaders to probe deeper into the Signal chat surrounding the Yemen operation have faced opposition from Republican leaders, blocking any congressional investigations.