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Signal: The Encrypted App That Hosted Trump Aides’ War Plans
When top aides to former US President Donald Trump recently discussed military strikes against Yemen’s Houthi militants, they turned to Signal—a messaging app prized for its security. The plans, however, hit a snag when a journalist was accidentally added to the encrypted group chat.
Signal uses ‘end-to-end encryption’, meaning only the sender and recipient can read messages—not even Signal itself.
So, what is Signal? Launched in 2014, the free, open-source app promises ironclad privacy. As the Trump team’s recent mishap demonstrates, chats, calls, and contacts stay on user devices, not central servers, and conversations can be set to auto-delete. Minimal data is stored, including phone numbers, sign-up dates, and last login times. There are no ads or tracking.
This vault-like security has made Signal a favorite of privacy activists, politicians, and, as the incident shows, government officials, according to a recent Reuters report. The US Senate approved its use for staffers in 2017, and the European Commission advised its adoption in 2020. The app is even used by Elon Musk’s team coordinating federal cuts and by protesters opposing those cuts.
“Let’s take this to Signal” is Washington code for “this chat is about to get interesting,” the Reuters report stated. But no system is foolproof. While Signal’s encryption is virtually unbreakable, experts warn that if a phone is hacked, all of its Signal messages become readable.
This hasn’t stopped Signal’s rise. Downloads in the US jumped 25% year-on-year in early 2025, per analytics firm Sensor Tower. Over 1,100 US state officials and countless congressional aides reportedly use it, according to a recent review by the Associated Press.
Signal’s founders—entrepreneur Moxie Marlinspike and president Meredith Whittaker—built it as a nonprofit, vowing never to sell to Big Tech. Brian Acton, the WhatsApp co-founder who departed over data-privacy clashes with Facebook, bankrolled the app with $50 million in 2018.
Notably, Signal’s official website states that WhatsApp itself licenses Signal’s encryption for its messages.
Yet, the app’s secrecy has its downsides. While journalists and whistleblowers use it to leak safely, drug dealers and January 6 rioters, according to law enforcement reports, have also exploited it.
The incident has reignited debates about balancing security and accountability. The Trump team’s misstep highlights a broader tension: Signal is trusted by those guarding power and those fighting it.
Related topic: Donald Trump, Signal
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