Shane Harris

And it was actually kind of baffling, too, because, again, if this was a hoax, somebody was going to really great lengths to do it, which could happen. I mean, you know, sophisticated operations do happen in the intelligence world. And the question was, of course, like, why? To what end? So where is this going?

And it was actually kind of baffling, too, because, again, if this was a hoax, somebody was going to really great lengths to do it, which could happen. I mean, you know, sophisticated operations do happen in the intelligence world. And the question was, of course, like, why? To what end? So where is this going?

And then as it went on, I think it became, like as Jeff said, increasingly clear that the needle was moving quickly towards authentic. But my initial reaction as to why it was probably not real was that I couldn't imagine – senior national security officials deciding that it was a good idea to discuss something of this sensitivity where, let's be clear, pilots are in the air.

And then as it went on, I think it became, like as Jeff said, increasingly clear that the needle was moving quickly towards authentic. But my initial reaction as to why it was probably not real was that I couldn't imagine – senior national security officials deciding that it was a good idea to discuss something of this sensitivity where, let's be clear, pilots are in the air.

And then as it went on, I think it became, like as Jeff said, increasingly clear that the needle was moving quickly towards authentic. But my initial reaction as to why it was probably not real was that I couldn't imagine – senior national security officials deciding that it was a good idea to discuss something of this sensitivity where, let's be clear, pilots are in the air.

They could be shot down. People could be killed. People are going to be killed on the ground. Things are happening very fast. Why would you not do that in the Situation Room? Or in a secure facility. Many of these cabinet officials, by the way, have facilities like that in their house. They can go have those conversations.

They could be shot down. People could be killed. People are going to be killed on the ground. Things are happening very fast. Why would you not do that in the Situation Room? Or in a secure facility. Many of these cabinet officials, by the way, have facilities like that in their house. They can go have those conversations.

They could be shot down. People could be killed. People are going to be killed on the ground. Things are happening very fast. Why would you not do that in the Situation Room? Or in a secure facility. Many of these cabinet officials, by the way, have facilities like that in their house. They can go have those conversations.

Yeah. So the problem is this. There's a couple of problems. One, it's encrypted, but it's never been approved by the government for sharing classified or what's called national defense information. Now, to be clear, we talked to former security officials, former U.S. officials who said, yeah, we did use Signal in the government.

Yeah. So the problem is this. There's a couple of problems. One, it's encrypted, but it's never been approved by the government for sharing classified or what's called national defense information. Now, to be clear, we talked to former security officials, former U.S. officials who said, yeah, we did use Signal in the government.

Yeah. So the problem is this. There's a couple of problems. One, it's encrypted, but it's never been approved by the government for sharing classified or what's called national defense information. Now, to be clear, we talked to former security officials, former U.S. officials who said, yeah, we did use Signal in the government.

We might use it to transmit sort of certainly unclassified, not sensitive information. We might talk around something or like notify someone that you're leaving a particular country. But this level of specificity, actual planning for an ongoing operation, the sharing of intelligence and information about strikes, that is clearly not what Signal's intended for.

We might use it to transmit sort of certainly unclassified, not sensitive information. We might talk around something or like notify someone that you're leaving a particular country. But this level of specificity, actual planning for an ongoing operation, the sharing of intelligence and information about strikes, that is clearly not what Signal's intended for.

We might use it to transmit sort of certainly unclassified, not sensitive information. We might talk around something or like notify someone that you're leaving a particular country. But this level of specificity, actual planning for an ongoing operation, the sharing of intelligence and information about strikes, that is clearly not what Signal's intended for.

It's very convenient and it is relatively safe. I mean, I know like some officials who've traveled overseas and – conflict zones who use it because they're not near a U.S. embassy, let's say. But it's not meant for this kind of detailed planning, which occurs, as, you know, Mr. Walt said, and the principal's committee level.

It's very convenient and it is relatively safe. I mean, I know like some officials who've traveled overseas and – conflict zones who use it because they're not near a U.S. embassy, let's say. But it's not meant for this kind of detailed planning, which occurs, as, you know, Mr. Walt said, and the principal's committee level.

It's very convenient and it is relatively safe. I mean, I know like some officials who've traveled overseas and – conflict zones who use it because they're not near a U.S. embassy, let's say. But it's not meant for this kind of detailed planning, which occurs, as, you know, Mr. Walt said, and the principal's committee level.

That is done in the Situation Room, or that's done at their various, you know, buildings where these people work.

That is done in the Situation Room, or that's done at their various, you know, buildings where these people work.

That is done in the Situation Room, or that's done at their various, you know, buildings where these people work.