By Steve Neavling
Senior Trump administration officials may have violated federal law by sharing national defense information over the Signal messaging app, but so far, neither Attorney General Pam Bondi nor FBI Director Kash Patel has signaled plans to investigate, The New York Times reports.
The Atlantic reported Monday that members of Trump’s cabinet used Signal to communicate sensitive material, a move that in previous administrations would have triggered immediate scrutiny from the Justice Department and FBI. Such probes typically assess potential damage to national security and whether laws like the Espionage Act were broken.
Instead, the matter is being reviewed internally by the National Security Council, a process that lacks the independence and depth of a criminal investigation.
“This is something that would normally be investigated by the FBI and DOJ,” said Mary McCord, a former senior Justice Department official now at Georgetown Law. She noted that even if the information wasn’t classified, transmitting it over an unapproved app like Signal could be considered gross negligence, which is a felony.
Patel acknowledged he had been briefed on the issue during a Senate hearing Tuesday but didn’t say if the FBI would take formal action. A bureau spokesman declined to comment.
Bondi’s office also refused to say whether it would authorize an investigation. Critics, including Rep. Dan Goldman, D-N.Y., have called for a special counsel, citing Bondi’s close ties to Trump and potential conflicts of interest.
While the administration claims the shared information wasn’t classified, legal experts say that doesn’t necessarily shield officials from criminal exposure. Congress could still refer the matter to the DOJ.
Last week, Bondi’s office announced a criminal investigation into a separate leak involving classified information, showing a willingness to act when it aligns with political priorities.
