National Security Advisor Michael Waltz and his staff are under scrutiny for using personal Gmail accounts for government communications, raising concerns about potential security vulnerabilities despite official assurances that no classified information was compromised.
Key Insights
- National Security Advisor Mike Waltz and staff used personal Gmail accounts for government communications while ensuring compliance by cc’ing official accounts.
- A Washington Post report alleged sensitive military discussions occurred over personal email, though the NSC claims the Post did not share documents to verify these claims.
- The controversy follows a separate incident where a journalist was accidentally added to a Signal chat about military operations.
- President Trump has defended Waltz, attributing the communication issues to technological limitations rather than deliberate misconduct.
- NSC officials emphasized that all staff are instructed to use secure channels for classified material and comply with records retention requirements.
NSC Confirms Use of Personal Email Accounts
The National Security Council has confirmed that National Security Advisor Mike Waltz and members of his staff have used personal Gmail accounts for certain government communications. This admission comes after the Washington Post published allegations that Waltz and a senior aide conducted government business through personal email channels, including discussions about sensitive military positions and weapons systems. NSC officials acknowledge that Waltz received work-related emails and calendar invites on his personal account but maintain he followed proper protocol.
According to the NSC, Waltz ensured compliance with federal records requirements by copying government accounts on all official correspondence received through his personal email. This practice allowed him to maintain communication with legacy contacts while adhering to documentation standards. The Washington Post report specifically highlighted instances where a senior NSC official used Gmail for discussions involving military matters, while other officials involved in the same conversations used government-issued email accounts.
White House Response and Security Protocols
NSC spokesperson Brian Hughes has vigorously defended Waltz’s practices while criticizing the Washington Post’s reporting. Hughes noted that the publication did not share the documents cited in their report, limiting the NSC’s ability to verify the specific claims being made. He characterized the story as an attempt “to distract the American people from President Trump’s successful national security agenda that’s protecting our nation.” The White House declined to comment directly on the Post’s request for information.
“Let me reiterate, NSA Waltz received emails and calendar invites from legacy contacts on his personal email and cc’d government accounts for anything since January 20th to ensure compliance with records retention, and he has never sent classified material over his personal email account or any unsecured platform.” – NSC spokesperson Brian Hughes
The NSC has emphasized that all staff members are instructed to use only secure channels for classified material. Hughes stated explicitly that Waltz “has never sent classified material over his personal email account or any unsecured platform.” Additionally, staff are informed that any non-government correspondence must be retained properly to comply with federal record-keeping requirements. These protocols are designed to protect sensitive information while ensuring accountability in government communications.
Signal Chat Incident and Presidential Support
The Gmail controversy follows a separate incident where Waltz accepted responsibility for accidentally including a journalist from The Atlantic in a Signal chat discussing potential military strikes. This incident was described as “embarrassing” but did not involve the transmission of classified information according to White House officials. Initially, President Trump suggested a “lower-level” staffer was responsible for the Signal mistake, though Waltz later denied this characterization.
“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 expressed unwavering support for Waltz and his team throughout both controversies. Regarding the Signal chat incident, Trump attributed the error to imperfect technology rather than human negligence, stating that Waltz should not apologize for what happened. The administration’s position maintains that while communication protocols may have been imperfect, no classified information was compromised in either instance, and steps are being taken to strengthen security measures and compliance with federal records requirements.
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
