Waltz Uses Unofficial Signal App, Raises Security Concerns

Photographs from a recent Trump cabinet meeting revealed that former National Security Advisor Mike Waltz was using an unofficial version of the Signal messaging app, known as TM SGNL, which is designed by TeleMessage to archive messages. This modified app raises security concerns, as its archiving feature may compromise the end-to-end encryption of standard Signal, potentially making sensitive government communications more vulnerable to unauthorized access. The images showed Waltz in active conversation with other high-level officials, including Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard. The use of such apps appears to be an attempt to comply with federal record-keeping laws, but experts warn that archiving could introduce new security risks, especially if the messages are stored on external platforms. The incident follows a previous scandal in which Waltz accidentally included a journalist in a classified group chat, further highlighting ongoing issues with secure communication practices within the administration. Signal has stated it cannot guarantee the security or privacy of unofficial app versions like TM SGNL.