Private details, including phone numbers and email addresses, of many of Donald Trump’s senior advisors have been discovered leaked on the internet in another embarrassment for the president
Several of Donald Trump’s top officials already embroiled in the Signal chat scandal have reportedly had some private details, including passwords and phone numbers, leaked.
Earlier this week military strikes against Houthi rebels were unwittingly revealed when Jeffrey Goldberg, the editor-in-chief of The Atlantic magazine, was added to a group chat including several senior members of the Trump administration, including Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. Now, in the latest blunder to hit the presidency, private details of several of his security advisors have been discovered leaked on to the internet by a publication in Germany.
The details, including phone numbers and email addresses, as well as Signal accounts for some, were of National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, reports Der Spiegel. It is currently unknown how the personal details were leaked, although the publication reported they seemed to still work.
Among the discoveries was a mobile number connected to a WhatsApp account Hegseth seemed to have only recently deleted. His profile photo was of a topless Hegseth in a baseball cap.
Donald Ortmann, a specialist in information security, told Der Spiegel: “Exposed data from top politicians can be used by hackers to launch convincing phishing attacks and gain access to devices and various services such as email, chat tools and PayPal. In addition, deepfake attacks using images and sound available online can be launched to participate in virtual meetings.”
The latest revelation comes hours after it was revealed Hegseth was told to “resign” after his Signal account shared “reckless” attack plans. The leaked chats have proved to be a major embarrassment for the Trump administration with chat members, including Mr Hegseth hitting out at critics, despite White House officials confirming the authenticity of his claims.
Mr Hegseth repeatedly denied texting attack plans in the Signal group chat that included The Atlantic magazine’s Jeffrey Goldberg. Senator Andy Kim said of the leaks: “This new signal chat is shocking.
“Clearly incredibly sensitive and classified information. As someone who worked in the Situation Room before, I cannot believe Hegseth would recklessly text info that could put a target on our pilots and service members. He needs to resign.”
White House officials continue to insist no classified material was discussed in the March 13 to March 15 Signal chain and have launched scathing attacks on Goldberg. The Atlantic on Wednesday published the full content of the text exchange.
Senator Roger Wicker, the Republican chair of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said he and Senator Jack Reed, the committee’s top Democrat, will send a letter to the Trump administration requesting an expedited inspector general investigation into the use of Signal.
Mr Wicker said: “The information, as published recently, appears to me to be of such a sensitive nature that, based on my knowledge, I would have wanted it classified.”
Asked about the call for an inspector general probe, Trump replied, “It doesn’t bother me.”