Federal Judge James Boasberg orders Marc Rubio to hand over Trump officials' Signal scandal messages to DOJ; Here's why

Judge Boasberg has ordered Secretary of State Rubio to collect Signal chat messages from Trump officials for DOJ review due to potential deletion risks.

Published on: Jun 21, 2025, 23:47:57 IST

By HT US Desk

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Federal Judge James Boasberg has ordered US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, also serving as acting archivist, to collect infamous Signal group chat scandal messages and transfer them to the Department of Justice (DOJ) for review. The data includes messages belonging to the top officials in the Donald Trump administration that might be at risk of deletion, Fox News reported.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and US President Donald Trump (Bloomberg)

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James Boasberg vs Donald Trump lawsuit: What to know

The court was hearing the lawsuit brought by nonprofit government watchdog American Oversight. This came after journalist Jeffrey Goldberg claimed he was inadvertently added to a messaging chain, which included top national security officials in the Trump administration. They are allegedly planning a strike against the Yemen-based Houthis, according to Law & Crime.

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Earlier, the Atlantic also published a story detailing the Signal chat, in which discussion took place regarding imminent plans to conduct airstrikes against the Houthis, Fox News reported.

Judge Boasberg's statement

The federal judge stated that the court records highlight that five officials from the Trump administration “have thus far neglected to fulfill their duties” under the Federal Records Act. Notably, Boasberg is considered among Trump's judicial nemeses post his verdicts in the immigration matter.

Judge Boasberg said American Oversight had a strong case against the officials, who used the encrypted messaging app to communicate for work purposes. He added that they even allowed the messages to auto-delete.

The lawsuit asked for a preliminary injunction to force the Trump administration to update the record-keeping policies. It sought to preserve all messages while the matter was being heard, besides ordering Rubio to request Attorney General Pam Bondi to get the deleted messages.

FAQs

1. Who appointed US district Judge James Boasberg?

James Boasberg was appointed by former US President Barack Obama.

2. How did the Donald Trump administration respond to the matter?

The Trump administration has denied any wrongdoing in the matter, insisting that the communication was not "classified," as per Fox News report.

3. Who was involved in the Signal incident?

It included Marco Rubio, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard among others.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
HT US Desk
The Hindustan Times US Desk brings you the latest news and developments from across the United States. The team covers everything from breaking news and politics to sports, business, entertainment and stories that are trending across the country. Our coverage includes the White House, Congress, US elections, immigration and visa updates, H-1B, green cards, Social Security, education, jobs, layoffs, the economy, technology and major policy changes. We also closely follow stories that matter to Indian and South Asian communities in the US. The desk covers major US sports, including the NFL, NBA, MLB and NHL, along with player news, injuries, schedules, results and major events. Entertainment coverage includes Hollywood, celebrities, television, streaming, music and pop culture. We also report on breaking developments, major incidents, weather, public safety, court cases and other stories making headlines across the country. When a major policy or news development affects people's everyday lives, the team works to explain what happened, what it means and what readers need to know. Alongside breaking news, the US Desk produces explainers and practical stories on topics such as immigration, Social Security, taxes, education, employment and government programmes. The team also works on science, tech, business and AI stories analyzing the impact they may have on people. The team follows developments throughout the day, keeping an eye on official announcements, public records, reliable news sources and what people are talking about across the US.Read More

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