For weeks now, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has attempted to ward off controversy surrounding his use of the Signal messaging app to share information about military operations. Now, a new report from The Washington Post says the defense chief ordered staff to install the app on his office computer to get around restrictions on personal devices in the Pentagon.
What happened?
The Post reported late Wednesday, April 23, that, by putting the app on his computer, Hegseth essentially “cloned” the messaging app on his personal cellphone as a way to make up for the absence of cell service within the Pentagon. He reportedly used the app to allow for quick contact with White House and other Trump administration officials.
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Why the work around?
Cellphones and other personal communication devices are not allowed in the Pentagon, so installing Signal on his office computer allowed Hegseth to communicate on the app while inside the facility.
Sources told the Post that Hegseth also had Signal installed on a second government computer in his office, and expressed a desire to install a program allowing him to send text messages from his office.
The secretary’s spokesperson, Sean Parnell, denied the accusations. He told the Post that Hegseth “has never used and does not currently use Signal on his government computer.”
What previously happened with the Signal app?
Hegseth’s confirmed use of Signal has been a source of controversy. Most recently, he sent detailed information to his wife, brother and lawyer on military operations against Houthi rebels in Yemen. Hegseth has dismissed the report and says he takes the handling of classified information very seriously.
It’s the latest development in the conversation around the app, linked back to the mistaken inclusion of The Atlantic’s editor-in-chief in a group chat including White House National Security Adviser Michael Waltz, Hegseth, Vice President JD Vance and others, in which they discussed airstrikes in Yemen.
Why is Signal controversial?
Signal is a commercial encrypted messaging app, but the Pentagon prohibits its use even to communicate unclassified military information. Sensitive information is typically only exchanged in person or within secure government channels that use specific codes. Agencies are also legally required to maintain records of certain communications, but messages on Signal are deleted after just 30 days.
Not just a Trump administration issue
The report follows other findings that both Biden and Trump administration officials’ use of the app was far more widespread than previously thought.
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard also told the House Intelligence Committee in March that the Signal app came “preinstalled” on multiple government devices.
The most recent revelations about the secretary’s use of the Signal app have led lawmakers on both sides of the aisle to question whether Hegseth should continue leading the Pentagon.
The White House has refuted reports that President Donald Trump is considering replacing Hegseth.
