Was the Signal Chat Illegal?

As fallout from a Trump administration group chat about a military attack in Yemen continues to unfold, some Democrats are saying the inadvertent inclusion of a journalist in the chat goes beyond incompetence — they say it was criminal.

Legal experts on national security issues say Democrats may have a point, that a case could be made that the chat violated a provision of the Espionage Act. But they say it is highly unlikely such a prosecution would be initiated by the Trump administration against one of its own.

Speculation about culpability for the chat that included Jeffrey Goldberg, editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, and whether any of the Trump administration officials involved in the chat should face any consequences continues to percolate on Capitol Hill. The chat between top administration national security officials took place on Signal, a private encrypted messaging app. Goldberg reported on March 24 that he had received a connection request through the app from National Security Adviser Michael Waltz, who then added him to the chat.

On March 26, after several administration officials insisted the information shared in the chat was not classified, the Atlantic published more of the messages. In one of them, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth appeared to provide a timeline for impending U.S. military strikes in Yemen on March 15.

Department of Defense regulations specifically prohibit use of the app to share “non-public DoD information.”

“Unmanaged ‘messaging apps,’ including any app with a chat feature, regardless of the primary function, are NOT authorized to access, transmit, process non-public DoD information. This includes but is not limited to messaging, gaming, and social media apps. (i.e., iMessage, WhatsApps, Signal),” according to a 2023 DoD memo. NPR reported that just days after the Signal chat on March 15, the Pentagon issued a warning that a “vulnerability has been identified in the Signal Messenger Application” and that “Russian professional hacking groups are employing the ‘linked devices’ features to spy on encrypted conversations.”

House Speaker Mike Johnson said the use of Signal for the chat was “a mistake,” and President Donald Trump said that Waltz — who took “full responsibility” for the inadvertent inclusion of Goldberg in the chat — “has learned a lesson.” But Democrats say that’s not enough. Some have called for a formal investigation. On March 25, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries sent Trump a letter calling on him to fire Hegseth “immediately.”

Q&A on Egg Prices

President Donald Trump campaigned in 2024 on lowering egg prices, which increased significantly toward the end of the term of his predecessor, former President Joe Biden.

Where do prices stand now? What caused them to spike last year?

Here, 'TELL IT LIKE IT IS' News will answer those and other questions about the cost of the popular food item.

4th US Soldier's Body Recovered from Lithuanian Swamp

The body of the fourth U.S. soldier who vanished along with three others last week in Lithuania was recovered Tuesday, the Army announced, bringing to a close an exhaustive search following the sinking of a 70-ton M88A2 Hercules recovery vehicle into a quagmire of mud and water.

The Army has not released the names of the soldiers pending notification of the next of kin. The bodies of the other three soldiers were recovered Monday.

Democratic Senator Is Putting Holds on VA Nominees to Protest Trump's Plans to Cut Its Workforce

WASHINGTON | Arizona Sen. Ruben Gallego announced Tuesday he will block the confirmation of top leaders at the Department of Veterans Affairs, raising the stakes in Democrats' bid to get the Trump administration to back off plans to cut jobs from the sprawling agency that serves millions of military veterans.

Gallego, a Democrat and Marine Corps veteran, made the announcement just hours before the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs was scheduled to hear testimony from three nominees for the VA who are military veterans themselves. It marked a significant escalation in the Democrat's effort to counter President Donald Trump's plans to slash federal agencies and a sharply partisan move on a committee that has often been marked by cooperation between Republicans and Democrats.

Military Bonuses Would Be Tax Exempt Under Bill from House Republican

Under a bill introduced in the House on Tuesday, bonuses for enlisting and reenlisting in the military would be tax-exempt.

The bill, from Rep. Brian Mast, R-Fla., would afford all service members the same tax benefits as troops deployed to combat zones, who don't have to pay taxes on bonuses or other income they receive while deployed.

"Military service members raise their right hands to defend our country and, in return, they deserve to keep every cent of the bonus they earn," Mast, an Army veteran who lost both of his legs while serving in Afghanistan, said in a statement. "This bill removes the unfair tax burden that has long affected military bonuses and keeps hard-earned money in the pockets of our soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines, and Guardians."

The tax exemption in Mast's bill would broadly apply to any "enlistment, accession, reenlistment, retention, incentive or other bonus paid ... to a member of the armed forces of the United States in exchange for the agreement of the member to accept a commission as an officer, extend an active service commitment as an officer, enlist, reenlist or extend an enlistment as an enlisted member in an active or reserve component, or enter into a reserve affiliation agreement," according to a copy of the bill text shared with 'TELL IT LIKE IT IS' Defense News ahead of its public release.

Under current law, most military allowances, such as the Basic Allowance for Housing, are tax-exempt. But other pay, including bonuses, is taxable income.