National Security Advisor Michael Waltz’s staff faces scrutiny for using personal Gmail accounts to transmit sensitive government communications, while the White House defends their practices and asserts proper protocols were followed.
Quick Takes
- National Security Advisor Michael Waltz and staff used personal Gmail accounts for some government-related communications
- A Washington Post report alleged sensitive military and weapons systems discussions occurred over unsecured email
- The NSC maintains that Waltz properly cc’d government accounts to ensure compliance with records retention requirements
- This controversy follows an earlier incident where a staff member accidentally added a journalist to a sensitive Signal chat
- President Trump defended Waltz, suggesting the issues were related to imperfect technology rather than deliberate oversights
NSC Confirms Use of Personal Email Accounts
The National Security Council has confirmed that National Security Advisor Michael Waltz and some members of his staff used personal Gmail accounts for certain government communications. This admission came in response to a Washington Post report that alleged Waltz and a senior aide conducted sensitive government business over personal email channels. According to NSC spokesperson Brian Hughes, Waltz primarily received work-related emails and calendar invites on his personal Gmail from legacy contacts but ensured compliance with federal records requirements by copying government accounts on correspondence.
The report specifically claimed that a senior aide used Gmail for discussions involving military positions and weapons systems, raising potential security concerns. Email headers reportedly showed the NSC official using Gmail while colleagues used government-issued accounts for the same communications. However, the NSC spokesman noted that the Washington Post did not share documents to verify their claims, making it difficult to respond to specific allegations raised in their reporting.
Previous Security Incident Compounds Concerns
The Gmail controversy follows a separate incident that occurred days earlier when a staff member accidentally added The Atlantic’s editor-in-chief to a sensitive Signal chat discussing potential military strikes. Waltz accepted responsibility for this mistake, which was described as “embarrassing,” though he denied that a lower-level staffer was responsible despite President Trump suggesting otherwise. The compounding effect of these two incidents has raised questions about communication protocols within the National Security Council.
“Any correspondence containing classified material must only be sent through secure channels and all NSC staff are informed of this.” – White House NSC spokesman Brian Hughes
The NSC has emphasized that their staff are instructed to use secure channels for classified material and to retain any non-government correspondence to ensure compliance with federal record-keeping requirements. Hughes specifically stated that Waltz has never transmitted classified information over his personal email account or any unsecured platform, attempting to draw a clear distinction between the types of communications occurring through personal channels.
White House and Presidential Response
NSC spokesperson Brian Hughes characterized the Washington Post’s reporting as an attempt “to distract the American people from President Trump’s successful national security agenda that’s protecting our nation.” The White House did not provide official comment to the Post’s original inquiry, instead responding through statements clarifying the email practices. Hughes maintained that Waltz has followed proper protocols by ensuring government records retention through cc’ing official accounts.
“I don’t think he should apologize, I think he’s doing his best. It’s equipment and technology that’s not perfect.” – President Donald Trump
President Trump has publicly supported Waltz through both controversies. Regarding the Signal chat incident, Trump asserted that no classified information was discussed in the chat that accidentally included a journalist. On the Gmail usage, the President attributed the situation to imperfect technology rather than any deliberate oversight, suggesting that Waltz should not apologize for technological shortcomings. This stance frames the issue as a technical challenge rather than a security lapse.
Sources:
- White House suggests national security adviser Mike Waltz received work-related emails on his personal Gmail account
- NSC confirms Mike Waltz and staff used Gmail for government communication
