1. United States
2. N.C.
3. Letter

The disclosure of sensitive operational military plans on an unclassified messaging app raises grave concerns about national security and operational integrity. It is vital that such critical information be safeguarded to protect American personnel and assets involved in operations. Failure to properly handle classified or sensitive defense details could jeopardize lives and undermine strategic objectives. The Justice Department in 2015 and 2016 investigated whether former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton broke the law by communicating about classified information with her aides on a private email server, this is even worse, concerning real-time matters that should be prosecuted to the fullest extent. None of the Trump administration officials appear to have questioned the legality of sharing confidential national security matters on the Signal app. A thorough and prompt investigation into this breach is warranted to determine how such a serious lapse occurred and whether any laws were violated. Those responsible must be held fully accountable through appropriate disciplinary or legal action if negligence or misconduct is found. Robust protocols and training should be implemented or reinforced to prevent any reoccurrence that could compromise operational security. The nation's defense interests and the safety of its warfighters depend on the diligent protection of sensitive operational information.