Trump Admin Hit With Explosive Lawsuit, New Development Shakes Case
Lawsuit Targets Trump Admin Over Leaked Pentagon Plans; Controversial Judge Boasberg Assigned to Case
A new legal battle has erupted, with a government watchdog group, American Oversight, filing a lawsuit against the Trump administration. The suit claims that high-ranking officials, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, violated federal records laws by discussing sensitive Pentagon plans in a Signal group chat.
Trump administration officials are facing a new lawsuit from the watchdog group American Oversight.
The suit accuses officials of violating the Federal Records Act and the Administrative Procedure Act by conducting government business on a platform, Signal, designed to erase… pic.twitter.com/OdX3nJjMKX— Booker (@RealBookerScott) March 26, 2025
The lawsuit centers around the alleged mishandling of communications regarding a military strike against Houthi forces in Yemen. The case has now been assigned to U.S. District Judge James Boasberg, known for his controversial rulings against the Trump administration, sparking concerns about impartiality.
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The lawsuit alleges that these officials failed to preserve their messages in accordance with the Federal Records Act, which mandates the retention of official government communications. Signal, the secure messaging app in question, offers a feature that automatically deletes messages after a certain period, raising the possibility that important records could have been destroyed unlawfully.
American Oversight claims that this pattern of behavior is part of a larger issue with transparency within the administration.
Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley (R) has strongly criticized the involvement of Boasberg, referring to him as a “rogue judge” who has repeatedly interfered with the Trump administration’s policies, according to Fox News. Hawley has pushed for reforms to restrict the power of district judges, particularly when they issue nationwide injunctions like the one Boasberg used to block the administration’s deportation policy.
These rogue judges don’t have the authority under the Constitution to knee-cap President Trump's agenda the way they are
Local district court judges can't bind a whole nation
We need to say NO to nationwide injunctions by district courts pic.twitter.com/DLl5QedFNU— Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) March 25, 2025
According to Hawley, Boasberg’s previous rulings demonstrate a bias against Trump’s agenda, calling into question the fairness of his handling of this case.
Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) has echoed these concerns, urging Boasberg to recuse himself from the lawsuit due to what he views as a clear bias. Issa has pointed to Boasberg’s history of rulings against the Trump administration and argued that his involvement in this case could undermine the integrity of the judicial system.
While Issa is skeptical that Boasberg will step down, he insists that recusal would be the best course of action for preserving the credibility of the court.
At the heart of the lawsuit is the issue of official records retention. The plaintiffs argue that the use of Signal for discussions related to national security matters is a direct violation of the Federal Records Act, which mandates that government communications be preserved. Given Signal’s self-destructive nature, there is concern that critical national security records were lost in the process.
The lawsuit names several high-profile figures, including Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, CIA Director John Ratcliffe and National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) officials. The plaintiffs argue that these figures were part of an effort to sidestep transparency laws, allowing sensitive conversations to disappear without a trace.
The issue highlights a broader concern regarding the use of encrypted messaging platforms for government communications, which could potentially jeopardize public access to important historical records.
Andrew Cherkasky, a former federal prosecutor, argued that assigning the case to Judge Boasberg could have lasting consequences for the D.C. District Court’s reputation. Cherkasky described the assignment as “legally provocative,” suggesting it could further erode public trust in the judicial system, especially given Boasberg’s previous rulings under review by the Circuit Court.
Alina Habba, a former Trump attorney, criticized the lawsuit, accusing American Oversight of weaponizing the judicial system for political purposes.
“This is another example of improper judicial political advocacy,” Habba told Fox News. “The judicial system must not be weaponized any further to attempt to distract Americans from the amazing work of this Administration and our commitment to our National Security.”
Meanwhile, the White House has dismissed the accusations made in the lawsuit, claiming that the discussions in the Signal chat did not involve classified information. In a House Intelligence Committee hearing, Gabbard defended the chat, calling the inclusion of a reporter an accident and emphasizing that the National Security Council was conducting a thorough review of the incident to ensure the integrity of the process.
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