Washington, D.C. — Yesterday, U.S. Representative Stephen F. Lynch led the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Democrats in introducing a Resolution of Inquiry to investigate the Trump Administration’s illegal use of unsanctioned, insecure communications services and platforms for national security duties. The introduction of this Resolution of Inquiry follows recent and shocking reporting that high-ranking national security officials in the Trump Administration shared likely classified war plans in a group chat set to auto-delete messages on the insecure messaging app Signal that included a reporter from The Atlantic.  Shortly after the world learned of this outrageous breach in national security protocols, reporting broke on National Security Advisor Michael Waltz and his staff’s rampant use of Signal and their use of personal Gmail accounts to discuss government work. The actions of the high-ranking Trump officials are in direct violation of federal records laws and the Espionage Act. 

“It has now been several weeks since National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and the entire Trump leadership team jeopardized the safety of U.S. military personnel by announcing classified battle plans and attack sequencing on an unauthorized and insecure network just hours before those operations commenced,” said Rep. Lynch. “This colossal security failure exposed U.S. fighter jets to enemy anti-aircraft positions and left U.S. Naval vessels vulnerable to drone and missile attack.  Yet no one has taken responsibility or explained how these dangerous and irresponsible security lapses occurred.  This Resolution of Inquiry will allow Congress to review all the protocol breaches in order to put a stop to the slipshod and unprofessional handling of our national security and force protection responsibilities. Our sons and daughters in uniform deserve better.”

A Resolution of Inquiry (ROI) requires the Administration to provide documents, communications, and factual information.  Once introduced, the committee to which the ROI is referred has 14 legislative days to act on and report the resolution to the House or it will become privileged on the House floor.  This action is necessary because the Administration has failed to provide clear information on why its national security team is using insecure communications services for war planning and other national security operations.

The resolution would require the Administration to provide documents, communications, and information regarding: 

• The Administration’s plan to preserve official communications in compliance with federal recordkeeping requirements.
   
• The use of Signal, Gmail, and other electronic communication platforms on personal and government phones to conduct official business.
   
• Plans, procedures, guidance, or practices to ensure that official business conducted on messaging platforms like Signal are preserved.

Despite repeated efforts by Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Democrats, the Administration has failed to provide clear information on why the Administration’s national security team is using insecure communications services for war planning and other national security operations.  These investigatory efforts include:

On March 25, 2025, Ranking Member Connolly and Rep. Maxwell Alejandro Frost launched an investigation into Trump Administration officials sharing war plans on the insecure, unsanctioned messaging platform Signal.  The investigation followed reporting by The Atlantic’s Jeffrey Goldberg revealing he was accidentally added into the Signal group chat in which high-ranking national security officials discussed the details of a military strike on Houthi targets in Yemen.

On March 26, 2025, Committee Democrats demanded a briefing from the Trump Administration officials who shared war plans in the unclassified Signal group chat.

On March 27, 2025, Ranking Member Connolly sent a letter to Inspectors General at the Department of Defense, Department of State, Department of the Treasury, and Central Intelligence Agency, as well as to the Counsel to the President David Warrington requesting a full and immediate investigation into the exposure of information in the insecure Signal chat.

On March 28, 2025, Ranking Member Connolly escalated Committee Democrats’ investigation, demanding transcribed interviews with non-principal agency officials involved in the insecure group chat.

On April 1, 2025, Ranking Member Connolly launched an investigation into National Security Advisor Michael Waltz after learning he and his staff regularly use personal Gmail accounts for official sensitive government work. 

On April 2, 2025, Committee Democrats sent letters to Secretary of Treasury Scott Bessent, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Central Intelligence Agency Director John Ratcliffe, and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard requesting documents and information regarding their violation of federal law by failing to preserve the communications exchanged in the now-infamous March 15, 2025, Signal chat.

Click here to read the Resolution of Inquiry.

Click here to read the one-pager explaining why this Resolution of Inquiry is necessary and how it works.