A federal judge instructed White House officials who participated in a group chat about military operations in Yemen to retain all communications following a startling report suggesting that sensitive classified details may have been disclosed.

US District Judge James Boasberg has instructed members of President Donald Trump’s national security staff to retain all communications sent or received via the Signal messaging app from March 11th through March 15th.

The directive arises from a legal action initiated by American Oversight, claiming that Trump administration officials’ utilization of Signal breached federal record-keeping regulations.

“The Trump Administration has adhered and will keep complying with all relevant record-keeping regulations,” stated White House spokesperson Anna Kelly in an official release.

The Atlantic, which initially exposed the presence of the chat group, pointed out that the messages within the conversation self-destructed after a specific duration. This has sparked worries that these communications might be lost forever.

Judge Boasberg stated during the hearing that the directive aimed to prevent any loss of communication, rather than implying any misconduct.

On Monday, Jeffrey Goldberg from the Atlantic revealed that he had been mistakenly included in a Signal group conversation alongside several accounts that seemed to be associated with prominent figures within the Trump administration, such as Vice President JD Vance and National Security Advisor Mike Waltz.

Participants in the Signal conversation talked about an impending assault on the Houthi rebels in Yemen. An account claimed to be owned by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth shared comprehensive details regarding the planned attack and weaponry for a strike scheduled for March 15th.

The National Security Council subsequently verified the chat’s legitimacy.

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American Oversight’s lawsuit names several of the chat’s primary participants: Hegseth, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

The suit also named the National Archives and Records Administration, which is tasked with overseeing the preservation of government documents.

American Oversight argues that the Signal chat was covered by the Federal Records Act.

The suit argues that using a “private, encrypted, auto-deleting platform for official communications” without forwarding it to an official government system violated that statute.

“Unless there is court intervention, they—and countless others like them—will be permanently deleted or vanished indefinitely,” the lawsuit claims.

Hegseth and other administration officials have asserted that no confidential data was disclosed. On Wednesday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt stated that “no combat strategies” were talked about in the chats. She also told journalists that the content of these conversations ought to be regarded as merely “delicate policy deliberations.”

During a Thursday afternoon hearing, Judge Boasberg instructed the officials mentioned in the lawsuit to retain all 11-15 March Signal messages.

He issued a written directive afterward, indicating that his ruling would lapse on April 10 “should the Defendants’ actions meet the Court’s satisfaction.”

This decision represents a significant move towards ensuring accountability,” said Chioma Chukwu, the executive director of American Oversight, in a statement provided to THE INTERCEPT. “We appreciate the judge’s verdict blocking any additional destruction of these essential documents.

Judge Boasberg is currently managing a legal case that contests the Trump administration’s application of the Alien Enemies Act from 1798 to deport Venezuelan citizens to El Salvador earlier this month.

The incident led to allegations that the Trump administration breached the judge’s directive to promptly bring back the immigrants to U.S. territory and even instructed aircraft to make a turnaround if needed. Initially, Judge Boasberg gave an oral instruction for their return, which was later followed up with a formal written order.

The White House maintained that their actions did not contravene Judge Boasberg’s directive and have since intensified their criticism of the judge. President Donald Trump even went so far as to suggest impeachment for the judge, which led to an unusual critique from U.S. Supreme Court Justice John Roberts.

At Thursday’s hearing via the Signal app, Judge Boasberg tackled the issue, mentioning that he was randomly selected to handle the new Signal case.

Following the directive to have Trump administration officials safeguard their Signal communications, Judge Boasberg informed all involved parties that he would issue a written version of his oral order later.

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