Senior figures from the Trump administration’s National Security Council reportedly used personal Gmail accounts to conduct official government business. Including discussions involving sensitive military operations and weapons systems.
According to The Washington Post, Michael Waltz, who served as the national security adviser during the administration’s final years, was among those involved. The report, which cites documents and three anonymous government officials. Paints a troubling picture of lax security practices at some of the highest levels of government.
The allegations come just days after another story revealed that cabinet-level officials — including then-Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. Had discussed sensitive war planning in a private Signal group chat that mistakenly included a journalist from The Atlantic.
In this latest revelation, the Post claims that an aide to Waltz used a regular. Consumer Gmail account to exchange “highly technical” information with staff at other agencies. These conversations reportedly involved sensitive military positions and advanced weapons systems tied to an ongoing conflict. Making the choice of communication method especially concerning. Given that Gmail is not authorized for classified or even sensitive government use.
While Waltz himself did not appear to use Gmail for top-secret discussions. The officials cited by the Post say he received potentially exploitable information on his personal account. Such as government schedules and internal documents — raising further security red flags.
The use of personal email accounts for official work isn’t just frowned upon — it’s often viewed as a major cybersecurity risk, especially for individuals with access to national defense operations. Experts note that state-sponsored hackers regularly target the personal accounts of high-ranking officials through phishing and other tactics designed to extract information.
In recent years, both Iran and China have been accused of targeting U.S. political figures through their personal email accounts. In 2019, Microsoft revealed that hackers linked to Iran were trying to infiltrate emails connected to Trump’s 2020 campaign team. Similarly, cybersecurity researchers found that China was targeting Biden campaign staff during that same election cycle.
This isn’t the first time personal email use has triggered concerns in national security circles. Back in 2012, former CIA Director David Petraeus was caught using a shared Gmail account to exchange draft messages with his biographer, with whom he was having an affair. Petraeus ultimately pleaded guilty to mishandling classified materials — though he avoided jail time.
The Post says the latest case reflects “problematic handling” of sensitive information. Yet, as of this writing, no formal action has been announced, and the White House has not issued a comment in response to the report.
As digital threats against public officials continue to evolve, this latest controversy once again highlights how digital hygiene and secure communication are essential — particularly at the highest levels of government.
