Federal Judge James Boasberg has instructed U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who is also serving as the acting archivist, to collect messages linked to the controversial Signal group chat scandal. He has ordered that the gathered content be handed over to the Department of Justice (DOJ) for review. According to Fox News, the messages involve senior officials from the Donald Trump administration and may be at risk of deletion.
Judge Cites Suit Filed by Watchdog After Journalist’s Accidental Access
The court was considering the suit filed by nonprofit government watchdog American Oversight. Journalist Jeffrey Goldberg claimed he was accidentally added to a Signal chat where Trump officials discussed striking the Yemen-based Houthis, according to Law & Crime.
The Atlantic reported that the chat included plans for imminent airstrikes on Houthi targets, Fox News confirmed.
Judge Criticizes Trump Officials for Failing Federal Record Duties
The judge said court records show five Trump-era officials failed to meet duties under the Federal Records Act. Boasberg, seen as a judicial critic of Trump due to past immigration rulings, made the observation.
He added that American Oversight had a strong case. The officials used an encrypted messaging app for official work and even enabled auto-delete on their messages.
Lawsuit Seeks Policy Revision and DOJ Involvement
The lawsuit requested a preliminary injunction to compel the Trump administration to revise the record-keeping policies. It aimed at preserving all the messages while the case was being heard, apart from directing Rubio to ask Attorney General Pam Bondi to procure the deleted messages.
FAQs About the Case
1. Who appointed US District Judge James Boasberg?
James Boasberg was appointed by former US President Barack Obama.
2.How did the Donald Trump administration respond to the matter?
The Trump administration has denied any wrongdoing in the matter, insisting that the communication was not “classified,” as per Fox News report.
3.Who was involved in the Signal incident?
It included Marco Rubio, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard among others.