Trump officials shared military plans on a private app — 10 years after Clinton email controversy

Clinton Email Saga Revisited Amidst Scrutiny of Trump Officials’ Communication Practices

WASHINGTON — A decade ago, the disclosure that Hillary Clinton utilized a private email server during her tenure as Secretary of State ignited a political firestorm. Revelations surfaced this month revealing some messages contained classified markings.

These disclosures became a persistent challenge throughout her 2016 presidential bid, triggering an extensive FBI inquiry and fueling then-candidate Donald Trump’s campaign rhetoric. Trump pledged to prosecute Clinton, with rally attendees frequently chanting “lock her up!” Despite his electoral victory, Trump ultimately did not pursue prosecution.

Fast forward to the present, just two months into what is portrayed as Trump’s second presidential term, reports have emerged concerning senior administration figures discussing sensitive military operations via Signal, a commercially available encrypted messaging application. This information was initially reported by The Atlantic on Monday.

Clinton Highlights Perceived Hypocrisy

Clinton, reacting swiftly on X (formerly Twitter), pointed out what she suggested was a significant double standard. She highlighted the contrast between the scrutiny she faced for her email practices and the current communication methods of Trump’s national security team, some of whom were among her harshest critics regarding classified information handling and adherence to federal record-keeping regulations.

Accompanying her post with an “eyeballs” emoji, Clinton expressed disbelief, stating, “You have got to be kidding me.”

Atlantic Editor’s Accidental Inclusion in Chat Sparks Renewed Debate

The renewed focus on Clinton’s email server on Monday stemmed from a report by Jeffrey Goldberg, editor-in-chief of The Atlantic. Goldberg disclosed his inadvertent inclusion earlier in January in a national security group chat discussing military actions against Yemeni Houthis, a group designated by the U.S. as a foreign terrorist organization.

According to The Atlantic’s account, participants in the Signal thread appeared to include prominent figures such as Vice President JD Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, and Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, among others. Some participants were identified only by initials in the Signal conversation.

Goldberg stated the Signal exchanges contained “precise details regarding weapons packages, targets, and timing” of the military strikes.

National Security Council spokesman Brian Hughes acknowledged the thread’s apparent authenticity in a statement. He described the emoji-laden conversation as “a demonstration of the deep and thoughtful policy coordination between senior officials.” Hughes also mentioned that White House officials were “reviewing” how Goldberg’s phone number was added to the chat.

Hughes did not address questions regarding why administration officials chose to bypass official government communication channels to deliberate strike timing, exchange operational specifics beforehand, and celebrate mission success. The administration has yet to clarify if the shared information was classified and, if so, at what classification level.

When questioned by reporters on Monday about potential classified information sharing, Hegseth dismissed Goldberg as “a guy that peddles in garbage” and asserted that “nobody was texting war plans.”

Classified Information Handling: A Recurring Issue

In the years following the Clinton private server controversy, the handling of classified data has become a significant point of contention, intersecting law, national security, and political discourse. During President Joe Biden’s administration, special counsels were appointed to investigate both Trump and Biden concerning their possession of classified documents after leaving office – Trump as president and Biden as vice president. Former Vice President Mike Pence promptly returned classified materials and faced no charges.

Trump, however, did not comply, leading to an FBI raid at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida in August 2022. He was subsequently indicted on charges related to the retention of classified material in federal court. These charges, along with a separate case linked to the January 6th Capitol attack, were later dismissed after Trump’s 2024 election victory.

Trump utilized these legal proceedings as campaign fodder, portraying the Justice Department as a politically motivated entity under Biden’s control. This narrative resonated with his political base and appealed to some broader segments of the electorate. Concurrently, amidst the increasing variety of communication technologies and heightened awareness regarding mishandling sensitive information, federal agencies have emphasized adherence to proper protocols among employees.

For instance, in 2022, a senior Pentagon official issued a memorandum reminding department personnel that text messages must also be preserved for recordkeeping in accordance with federal law.

Miller, a staunch defender of Trump, had previously criticized Clinton in the same year, alleging she endangered national secrets by making them vulnerable to interception by adversaries.

“One point that doesn’t get made enough about Hillary’s unsecured server illegally used to conduct state business … foreign adversaries could easily hack classified ops & intel in real time from other side of the globe,” Miller posted on X at the time.

In the recently published Signal chat, an individual identified by The Atlantic as likely being Miller (“S M” in the conversation) effectively concluded a debate regarding strike timing. When Vance raised concerns, including potential oil price increases, the person believed to be Miller reminded the group that Trump had already authorized the plan.

In 2016, Rubio, then a Florida senator, also strongly criticized Clinton’s private server usage, asserting that government leaders must ensure compliance with classified material regulations.

“Hillary Clinton’s actions have sent the worst message to the millions of hard-working federal employees who hold security clearances and are expected to go to great lengths to secure sensitive government information and abide by the rules,” Rubio wrote on Facebook at the time. “They don’t take their oaths lightly, and we shouldn’t expect any less of their leaders.”

In 2023, Waltz, then a Republican congressman from Florida, criticized the Justice Department for not pursuing action against Jake Sullivan, then-National Security Advisor, for sending “top secret messages” to Clinton’s private server.

Sullivan did not respond to inquiries regarding The Atlantic report.

Vance’s Office Addresses Procedural Questions, Not Security Risks

Vance’s office, in a statement on Monday, sidestepped the potential security vulnerabilities associated with using commercial apps for sensitive national security matters. Instead, the statement focused on whether Vance’s advocacy for delaying the strikes represented a significant divergence from Trump’s stance.

“The vice president’s first priority is always making sure that the President’s advisers are adequately briefing him on the substance of their internal deliberations,” stated William Martin, Vance’s communications director. “Vice President Vance unequivocally supports this administration’s foreign policy. The president and the vice president have had subsequent conversations about this matter and are in complete agreement.”

Former Rep. Justin Amash, formerly a Republican and now a libertarian, pointed out on X on Monday that officials in the group chat concluded the attack could be delayed by a month without compromising its objectives or efficacy. He noted that under the War Powers Act, presidents can, and often do, authorize military actions without explicit Congressional approval – the body constitutionally empowered to declare war – in emergency situations.

“The executive branch unlawfully sidestepped Congress, taking military action that top officials admit was elective,” Amash wrote on X. “The discussion establishes unequivocally that the strikes in Yemen are unconstitutional.”

In the excerpts of the thread published by The Atlantic, none of the officials raised concerns about using the encrypted application for classified material. Furthermore, they did not address a key Signal feature that poses challenges to federal recordkeeping rules: the ability for users to enable message disappearance.

According to The Atlantic, some messages were set to self-destruct after one week, while others after four weeks.

Secure Government Systems For Sensitive Information

Typically, national security officials transmit classified information via secured government email accounts, phones, and videoconference systems designed for that purpose. The Joint Worldwide Intelligence Communications System (JWICS) is used for top-secret communications, and the Secret Internet Protocol Router Network (SIPRNet) is utilized for secret-level material.

For in-person discussions of sensitive matters, officials utilize Sensitive Compartmentalized Information Facilities (SCIFs). These highly secure meeting locations prohibit phones, earbuds, smartwatches, and other electronic devices.

All federal employees handling national security issues sign agreements to comply with stringent regulations regarding classified information. Cabinet members are subject to the same legal and regulatory framework.

“Your phones should be in a box outside of the SCIF that you should be working in,” stated a former National Security Council staffer under a Democratic administration, speaking anonymously.

The Atlantic reported withholding specific military action details to prevent potential harm to national security, even though these details were inadvertently shared with Goldberg.

“The reason why we do things on a classified system is to protect our troops and our personnel overseas and to make sure it remains a surprise,” commented a second former NSC official, also anonymously, to avoid potential repercussions from the Trump White House.

Senate Intelligence Committee to Investigate

Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia, the leading Democrat on the Intelligence Committee, indicated his intention to investigate the Signal incident and determine if similar occurrences have transpired.

“Our job is to make sure we call these folks on the carpet and say, ‘How did this happen? Who’s going to bear the responsibility? How do we make sure it’s not going to happen again, and how many other incidents haven’t been repeated so far?’” he stated.

The Intelligence Committee is scheduled to hold an open hearing on Tuesday featuring two officials reportedly involved in the Signal thread, according to The Atlantic: National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard (purportedly “TG” in the chat) and CIA chief John Ratcliffe. On March 14, Gabbard, without prosecutorial authority, adopted a strong stance against leaks.

“Any unauthorized release of classified information is a violation of the law and will be treated as such,” she posted on X.

In a Monday interview, Goldberg remarked, “We all make mistakes in texting. Usually it doesn’t involve sharing imminent war plans with a large group of people, including some you don’t even know.”

He added, “The thought did cross my mind, imagine if it were someone else and not me, what the consequences would be. I think this is, you know, I think this could count from a security perspective — it could count as a, you know, a near miss.”