A federal judge has directed former President Donald Trump’s administration to preserve all Signal app messages discussing military strike plans against Houthi rebels in Yemen.
The messages were accidentally leaked to a journalist, prompting legal action.
US District Judge James Boasberg issued the order, requiring federal agencies—including the Defense Department and CIA—to retain all Signal communications sent between March 11 and March 15. The group chat reportedly involved Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and CIA Director John Ratcliffe.
Legal Battle Over Record-Keeping Violations
The government watchdog group American Oversight filed a lawsuit, alleging that the use of Signal’s auto-delete feature violated federal record-keeping laws.
“We applaud the judge’s decision to prevent further destruction of these critical records. The public has a right to know how war and national security decisions are made—accountability doesn’t vanish just because a message is set to auto-delete,” said Chioma Chukwu, the group’s interim executive director.
Leaked Messages Reveal Attack Details
The Atlantic obtained and published the messages, which included discussions among senior national security officials about planned strikes against the Houthi militant group.
According to the report, Hegseth disclosed attack timings—including a strike on an alleged terrorist target—just hours before the operation began.
Growing Controversy Over Security Practices
The accidental leak has intensified scrutiny over the Trump administration’s handling of sensitive military intelligence. While the lawsuit does not address the national security implications, it centers on whether the messages qualify as official government records that must be preserved.
The White House has not yet commented on the ruling.
