Waltz used Signal-like app at White House day before ouster as national security advisor

During a White House cabinet meeting in Washington, D.C., on April 30, 2025, U.S. National Security Advisor Mike Waltz was spotted checking his mobile phone. A photograph taken by Reuters’ Evelyn Hockstein showed Waltz engaged in a conversation with several individuals, including Vice President JD Vance and other officials like Secretary of State Marco Rubio and director of national intelligence Tulsi Gabbard. The messages exchanged on a modified version of Signal, a messaging app, have raised concerns about privacy and security.

The White House confirmed that Signal is an approved app for government use, but Waltz was seen using a version with modifications, likely from a company called TeleMessage. This modified version may compromise the end-to-end encryption provided by Signal, potentially allowing stored messages to be retrieved later. TeleMessage’s CEO has a background in intelligence, and the company’s services aim to help organizations comply with regulations.

The use of Signal by government officials has previously sparked controversies, including discussions about military strikes shared on the app earlier this year. Following the leak of sensitive military information, calls for resignations were made, but the administration defended the officials’ actions. The recent revelation about the modified Signal version used by Waltz has drawn attention and raised further questions about the security of such communications.