Uncanny Valley | WIRED Why Is The Trump Administration Having So Much Trouble Keeping Their Comms Private?
May 6, 2025
Lily Hay Newman, a senior writer at WIRED specializing in cybersecurity and privacy, dives into the recent hacking of the TeleMessage app used by Trump administration officials. She discusses the alarming vulnerabilities this incident reveals about government communications, especially concerning compliance and record retention laws. The conversation also touches on national security risks associated with using foreign-developed apps and the urgent need for secure domestic solutions. Join in to understand the intricate dance of technology, privacy, and government action.
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TeleMessage's Secure Archiving Trade-off
- TeleMessage is a clone of Signal with an added archiving feature for compliance with record retention laws.
- This addition breaks Signal's typical security, making it a compromise between encryption and record-keeping.
Waltz's TeleMessage Revelation
- Mike Waltz was spotted using TeleMessage during a cabinet meeting after a photo revealed his phone screen.
- The app was initially mistaken for Signal until a notification showed it as TM Signal.
Waltz's Messaging Missteps
- Mike Waltz first used Signal poorly by accidentally adding a journalist to a sensitive chat.
- He may have switched to TeleMessage to comply with his critics regarding message retention laws.