Image depicts Mike Waltz engaging in Signal usage at Wednesday's White House Cabinet gathering.
Ready for a juicy scoop? The Trump administration's latest drama unfolds around Mike Waltz, the former national security advisor, who's apparently as hooked on Signal as a '90s kid on AOL chat rooms.
Picture this, taken by the keen eye of Reuters' Evelyn Hockstein: Waltz, checking his mobile phone during a cabinet meeting at the White House. If you zoom in, it looks like he's sneakily using Signal. The message reads, "I have confirmation from my counterpart it's turned. He's going to be here in" before it trails off. Quite the cliffhanger, huh?
Hey, if you're gonna get caught, at least make it interesting, right? This pic circulated on social media on Thursday, with Waltz getting a well-deserved roasting for his Signal shenanigans. Remember, this is the guy who accidentally leaked war plans last month.
Some say the real reason Waltz is jumping ship is because he accidentally added The Atlantic's head editor, Jeffrey Goldberg, to a secret Signal group chat. Pete Hegseth, Trump's Defense Secretary, then accidentally shared Yemen war plans with Goldberg, who published them after the government accused him of lying. After being called out for his blunder, Waltz claimed he was unsure how Goldberg snuck into the chat, hinting that other mysterious parties might have somehow been responsible. Goldberg, unsurprisingly, calls bullsh*t on that.
As for who's taking over, interim Secretary of State Marco Rubio steps up to the plate. Previous reports suggested Trump was considering replacing Waltz, dubbed a "fucking idiot" by one government insider. Another inside source called potential replacement Steve Witkoff a "bumbling fucking idiot." Trump, meanwhile, wants Waltz to be the U.S.'s new ambassador to the U.N.
Gizmodo reached out to the White House for comment.
Now, the real tea: Waltz seems to have been involved in other Signal chats discussing foreign policy. During a press conference with the President, Waltz stuttered his way through a semi-apology, mumbling about learning his lesson before accusing the media of lying and boasting about America standing firm against terrorism. "Thank God for American leadership! Thank God for American strength! You're welcome, world!" he declared, when Trump asked him about sending war plans to a journalist.
Sources reveal Waltz's team set up at least 20 Signal groups for coordinating unclassified global crisis work. Participants included Cabinet members and senior officials, with some discussions involving time-sensitive military actions. The chats acted as unofficial supplements to formal channels, providing swift coordination during crises.
- The tech world is abuzz with the drama surrounding Mike Waltz, the former national security advisor, who seems to prefer Signal over traditional communication channels, reminiscent of a '90s kid on AOL chat rooms.
- In the future, one might question the security of using such communication apps, especially when high-ranking officials like Waltz are seen using them during critical meetings or discussions.
- As news of Waltz's Signal usage spreads, it's not surprising to see it trending on Twitter, embedded in various news articles, including general news, crime and justice, and even politics, war and conflicts.
- Given the debacle that occurred when Waltz accidentally leaked war plans, one might wonder about the actual security measures in place to prevent such incidents in the tech realm.
- As Gizmodo delves deeper into the Waltz-Signal scandal, they also unveil the existence of several Signal groups set up by Waltz's team for coordinating unclassified global crisis work, involving cabinet members and senior officials.
- In the wake of this bombshell revelation, concerns about the handling of sensitive information and potential security breaches in the tech arena are gaining traction, leading to heated debates in the realm of technology and politics.
