U.S. District Judge James Boasberg has been assigned to oversee the lawsuit involving the Trump administration’s use of the Signal messaging app for discussing sensitive military operations. The case, filed by watchdog group American Oversight, alleges that officials violated the Federal Records Act by using Signal’s auto-delete feature, potentially destroying official records.
The controversy, known as ‘Signalgate,’ began when reports revealed that top officials, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, used a Signal group chat to coordinate a military strike in Yemen. The situation escalated when journalist Jeffrey Goldberg was mistakenly added to the chat, exposing the discussions.
Judge Boasberg has ordered the preservation of all Signal messages exchanged between March 11 and 15, 2025, to ensure compliance with federal record-keeping laws. The administration must provide an update on these efforts by April 10.
President Trump has criticized Boasberg’s involvement, calling it biased and politically motivated. This follows previous legal clashes between them, including a ruling that blocked Trump’s deportation policy for Venezuelan nationals.
The lawsuit has sparked bipartisan concern, with lawmakers demanding investigations into whether classified information was improperly shared on Signal. The case could have significant implications for government transparency and communication policies.
