A hacker gained access to a communications platform used by Mike Waltz, a former national security adviser to Donald Trump, compromising data from more than 60 U.S. government officials. Those affected include members of disaster response teams, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, diplomats, White House staff, and Secret Service agents.
The leaked messages, obtained by the nonprofit group Distributed Denial of Secrets, were collected over about 24 hours ending May 4. Some messages revealed travel details for senior officials, including trips to the Vatican and Jordan.
Investigators confirmed several government phone numbers in the leaked data. A FEMA aid applicant and a financial institution confirmed their messages were part of the breach. While no clearly classified information has been found, the exposure of officials’ travel plans highlights the security risks.
The TeleMessage platform stores communications from apps like Signal to comply with government record-keeping rules. After the breach, Smarsh – the company that owns the TeleMessage temporarily shut it down but has not issued a public statement. The White House acknowledged the incident but gave no further details. FEMA reported no evidence of compromised information, while the Secret Service said only a few employees used the platform and is reviewing the situation. The CDC had tested the platform in 2024 but later stopped using it.
Cybersecurity experts warn that metadata can be highly valuable for intelligence purposes, even without the message content. This metadata includes information such as who communicated, when, and how often. Jake Williams, a former NSA specialist, said metadata alone provides top-tier intelligence access.
Waltz has faced criticism before for using encrypted messaging apps. He once accidentally added a journalist to a private chat where cabinet members discussed airstrikes. He left his national security role shortly after. However, the administration retained him, and Trump later nominated him as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.
Neither Waltz nor the White House has responded publicly about his use of the platform or the breach, leaving many questions about the incident’s full impact.
Also read: Trump Security Team’s Sensitive Data Leaked Online
