• Sen. Adam Schiff calls for an investigation into Trump officials' use of Signal for official business.
• Watchdog group American Oversight expands a lawsuit to preserve Signal chats from top officials.
• Concerns arise over national security and records preservation violations.

Senator Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) has requested that the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) investigate the use of the encrypted messaging application Signal by officials in the Trump administration. His request follows revelations about Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth sharing sensitive military information in a group chat that included personal contacts, raising concerns about adherence to records preservation laws and national security risks. Schiff emphasized that NARA should ensure all communication records are properly retained and investigated to determine whether any were forwarded to official accounts before auto-deletion, as mandated by law, according to HuffPost and The Hill.

In conjunction with Schiff's efforts, the nonprofit watchdog group American Oversight has broadened a lawsuit against several senior Trump administration officials, including Hegseth. The amended filing asks a federal judge to compel the preservation of all Signal messages as it relates to official business. The lawsuit came to light after journalists revealed that Hegseth disclosed sensitive information regarding upcoming military strikes in Yemen to non-government personnel, underscoring the potentially widespread use of Signal for official communications. This move sought to address concerns about the app's auto-delete feature that may hinder compliance with federal records retention requirements, according to The New York Times and India Times.

The allegations of negligent handling of government communication reflect broader concerns regarding the practices of using commercial apps for sensitive information sharing among top officials. Schiff highlighted these implications, noting the "profound risk of non-compliance" with document preservation laws inherent in such practices. He asserted the need for urgent action from NARA to safeguard federal records, responding to prior incidents where national security details were mishandled during a military operation attended by top officials scattered across various global locations. His directives aim to investigate proper preservation practices across affected agencies, according to The Hill and HuffPost.

As this issue unfolds, Trump administration officials exhibit a staunch defense of Hegseth's actions, asserting that no classified information was shared. The White House has labeled the ongoing scrutiny as politically motivated, with President Trump voicing strong support for Hegseth amid claims of media exaggeration. This environment of contention contributes to the ongoing debate about transparency and accountability within the administration as legal and ethical questions surrounding the use of Signal continue to be raised, according to India Times and The New York Times.