Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.Jump to contentIndependentSwipe for next articleIndependent Bulletin homepageDownload our appAllNewsSportCultureLifestyleBrendan RasciusTuesday 30 June 2026 18:38 BSTPete Hegseth responds to latest Signal chat leaks 'controversy'Senior Trump administration officials continued using the encrypted messaging app Signal, despite a previous security leak and advice from Trump to avoid the app, according to newly released records obtained by the group Democracy Forward under the Freedom of Information Act.Last March, a reporter was inadvertently added to a Signal chat where high-ranking officials discussed sensitive military operations, raising concerns about records preservation.The newly obtained records reveal the existence of 13 previously unreported Signal chats from the first half of 2025, some of which were used by senior officials after the leak, The Atlantic reported Monday.These chats, with names such as “Iran/Ukraine Planning” and “State USAID,” involved officials including Rubio, Hegseth, and Vance, and were often configured for messages to auto-delete after short periods.The White House defended Signal as an approved app, while the administration's handling of these messages remains a focus of ongoing litigation concerning the preservation of government records.In fullHegseth, Rubio and other government officials continued to use Signal app after embarrassing leak: reportThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in