US National Security Advisor Mike Waltz Allegedly Used Multiple Chat Groups for Sensitive Discussions

The National Security Advisor of the United States, Mike Waltz, has reportedly engaged in more extensive violations of security protocols regarding the handling of confidential information than previously recognized. According to a report from Politico, Waltz's team has set up at least 20 chat groups on the messaging platform Signal. These groups were utilized for discussions on critical issues such as China, Middle East policy, Africa, and Europe.

Four individuals who were added to these chat groups informed Politico that they were aware of at least 20 separate chats or had direct knowledge of them. All four participants reported that they witnessed the exchange of sensitive information within these discussions.

This revelation suggests a significant escalation in the exchange of classified and sensitive information within the US government through channels deemed insecure.

The report follows the recent emergence of a Signal chat established by Waltz that included high-ranking officials such as Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Vice President J. D. Vance, and others. In this chat, they discussed sensitive details regarding a military operation against Houthi rebel positions in Yemen, disregarding established security protocols. The situation was exacerbated when Waltz inadvertently included journalist Jeffrey Goldberg in the chat, which was subsequently made public by his publication, The Atlantic. A government spokesperson and others involved attempted to downplay this breach of security regulations.

Additionally, reports surfaced indicating that Waltz utilized his personal email account for official communications. The Trump administration acknowledged that Waltz received emails on his Gmail account from the commercial email service provided by Alphabet. However, it was asserted that he never used his personal email account to send classified documents. The Washington Post reported that other members of the National Security Council also used Gmail for government tasks.

Furthermore, a member of Waltz's team allegedly transmitted confidential military information and specific details about weapon systems related to a conflict through Gmail. Waltz himself reportedly sent his schedule and work documents to his Gmail account, as gleaned from insights by three individuals familiar with the matter and documents reviewed by journalists.

Brian Hughes, a spokesperson for the National Security Council, stated that Waltz received emails and calendar invitations from former contacts via his personal email. However, he emphasized that no classified documents were sent through this email account. All staff members of the National Security Council have been informed that classified materials must only be transmitted through secure channels.

Notably, Waltz has previously criticized former Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton for her use of a personal email server during her tenure as Secretary of State.