Mike Waltz just can’t seem to quit Signal.
President Donald Trump’s outgoing national security adviser, the subject of fevered speculation Thursday about his future, was photographed looking at his phone under the table during Wednesday’s Cabinet meeting.
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In one of the pictures, taken by Reuters, Waltz can be seen looking at a list of his ongoing chats. Visible names include Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard. The most visible name is Vice President JD Vance, and part of a message can clearly be read, which states: “I have confirmation from my counterpart it’s turned off. He is going to be here…”
Waltz has faced significant scrutiny for his role in the now-infamous Signal group chat scandal, which he took responsibility for. He accidentally and unknowingly added Atlantic reporter Jeffrey Goldberg to a Signal group chat filled with over a dozen Cabinet officials. They discussed whether the U.S. should commence a significant military operation in the Middle East, unaware that a reporter was in the chat.
Goldberg’s presence in the chat represented a significant breach of security, made all the more alarming that Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth shared details of the impending operation. Hegseth has insisted that he did not share any classified information.
Use of the Signal app by senior government officials has prompted questions over whether it is safe. In March, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, who was part of the group chat, testified on Capitol Hill that it was “permissible and lawful and did not include classified information.” The fact that the app could clearly be seen by members of the media while Waltz was casually scrolling through it will raise more security questions.
White House Director of Communications Steven Cheung responded to one of the photos of Waltz using Signal, with the spokesman writing on X, “Signal is an approved app that is loaded onto our government phones. Thank you for your attention to this matter.”
Trump announced on Thursday that Waltz would be leaving his post at the White House and be nominated to serve as the next U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, while Secretary of State Marco Rubio will fill the vacancy temporarily.
The ambassadorship is a Senate-confirmed position, which means Waltz will have a confirmation hearing in front of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE), a member of the committee, highlighted the latest Signal incident on Thursday, reposting the image and saying: “I look forward to a thorough confirmation hearing.”
Conservative investigative journalist Laura Loomer met with the president in the Oval Office last month and accused several officials working in the National Security Council of being insufficiently loyal to Trump’s agenda. Shortly after that meeting, Trump fired multiple NSC officials and the National Security Agency director, Gen. Tim Haugh. She has also been critical of Waltz and Alex Wong, Waltz’s deputy, who was also reportedly ousted on Thursday. Loomer celebrated their removal from the NSC on social media.
When he was called upon during Thursday’s Cabinet meeting, Waltz said: “Mr. president, the last four years, the world experienced a total lack of leadership under [former President Joe] Biden, and then we’ve had 100 days of your leadership with respect, with strength starting with they’ll be all hell to pay if you don’t let our people go. Dozens, over 40 Americans, have come home under your leadership.”
TRUMP MOVES EMBATTLED MIKE WALTZ FROM NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER TO UN
He added: “Far more terrorists are no longer threatening the homeland under your leadership, pulling all of these agencies together, including the person, the evil individual responsible for the Abbey Gate bombing and to sit with the 13 Gold Star families and you showing that follow up and that justice has been incredible.”