One of the biggest security breaches has again shaken the Trump administration, with the private information of a number of top US national security officials — including mobile phone numbers, email addresses, and in some instances, passwords — appearing online, a Der Spiegel investigation revealed. The leak is the result of a poorly secured Signal group chat that was used to organize sensitive military missions in Yemen, according to The Guardian.
Officials' data found in leaked internet data and business databases
Leaked information reportedly contains up-to-date contact information for US national security adviser Mike Waltz, defence secretary Pete Hegseth, and director of national intelligence Tulsi Gabbard. Der Spiegel discovered that certain data, including e-mail addresses and phone numbers, could be simply accessed through business data search programs or be obtained from earlier compromised databases.
In certain cases, these email addresses were connected to social media, Dropbox, and even location-tracking services — seriously undermining digital hygiene at the uppermost echelons of the government.
Hegseth's information was characterised as "particularly easy" to obtain. Der Spiegel said his email address had been leaked in over 20 data breaches, with at least one confirmation that the account was active just recently. The phone number, also traceable to a recently removed WhatsApp account, contributes to fears of possible surveillance.
Sensitive Yemen talks breached in group chat
The breach is part of the fallout from reports earlier this week that a Signal group chat between senior officials — including US Vice President JD Vance, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Hegseth — was used to coordinate airstrikes against Houthi targets in Yemen. The chats contained reportedly sensitive information that, if intercepted, could have put the safety of US personnel taking part in the March 15 operation at risk.
According to The Atlantic, national security adviser Waltz inadvertently invited the journalist Jeffrey Goldberg into the Signal group, helping cause the leak of sensitive information. On Wednesday, Goldberg released excerpts from the chat, revealing more of the administration's management of classified military planning.
White House defends officials amid bipartisan criticism
US President Donald Trump has stood behind Hegseth amid growing criticism, branding the scandal a "witch-hunt" and asserting "He had nothing to do with this." Bipartisan demands for accountability have only grown stronger, however, with lawmakers cautioning that the use of unsecured messaging applications for top-level decision-making is a national security threat.
Security analysts caution that connecting official phone numbers to messaging apps such as Signal and WhatsApp — as was reportedly the case with Gabbard and Waltz — exposes devices to spyware and surveillance, notably from foreign intelligence agents.
Der Spiegel went so far as to speculate that foreign agents could have been tracking the Signal conversation in real time, possibly accessing the highest-level military planning.
Officials remain quiet as NSC minimises impact
None of the officials mentioned in the report — Waltz, Hegseth, or Gabbard — commented on the media queries. The National Security Council (NSC) had a quick press release stating the accounts and passwords cited were modified in 2019, without discussing the full implications of the breach.
The incident has added fuel to growing concerns about digital security within the Trump administration, particularly as global adversaries closely monitor US military operations and internal communications.
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