Trump Administration Faces New Scandal Over Use of Personal Email for Sensitive Correspondence

The Trump administration is embroiled in a new controversy regarding the use of personal Gmail accounts for discussing national security matters, according to a report by the Washington Post. The investigation, which cites documents and testimony from three U.S. officials, reveals that members of the National Security Council, including White House adviser Michael Waltz, engaged in official correspondence through commercial email services, disregarding strict protocols designed to safeguard confidential information.

The Washington Post’s findings indicate that administration officials were not confined to secure messaging applications like Signal, which offers end-to-end encryption. Instead, they resorted to personal Gmail accounts, which fall significantly short of government communication standards in terms of security. Notably, a senior aide to Waltz used one such account to exchange emails with other government departments. The content of these communications reportedly included discussions on advanced military positions, high-tech developments, and sophisticated weapon systems related to ongoing international conflicts. Experts warn that this information is highly valuable to foreign intelligence agencies, and its exposure could have dire consequences for national security.

The use of Gmail instead of secure government servers violates federal regulations, such as the Presidential Records Act, which mandates the preservation of all communications related to official work. The reliance on commercial email services also heightens the risk of cyberattacks, given their vulnerability to breaches.

The incident echoes past scandals surrounding information security in American politics. In 2016, then-candidate Hillary Clinton’s use of a personal server for official correspondence as Secretary of State became a focal point of the presidential campaign, which Trump ultimately won. Now, his administration finds itself facing similar scrutiny. In March 2025, Politico reported that White House staff had already faced criticism for using Signal to discuss classified information, drawing attention from Congress.

Cybersecurity experts caution that while Gmail is widely used, it is ill-equipped to handle sensitive information. Unlike Signal, Gmail does not provide default end-to-end encryption, and its servers, owned by Google, could be vulnerable to subpoenas or hacking attempts. In 2024, CrowdStrike documented a surge in cyber threats against U.S. officials, including phishing attacks targeting commercial email services, rendering the Trump team’s choice particularly precarious amid escalating intelligence-gathering efforts by Russia and China.

The White House has responded cautiously to the report, with an administration spokesperson stating that all employees are being reminded of protocols for handling sensitive information. However, no specific comments regarding the Waltz case have been issued. Meanwhile, calls for an investigation are emerging from Congress, with Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer labeling the incident an “egregious violation” that necessitates immediate action from Trump.

The Republicans have largely withheld strong critiques, opting to await further clarification on the matter.