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Judge Orders Additional Declarations in American Oversight’s Case on Use of Signal by Top Trump Official
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Who Deleted CIA Director Ratcliffe’s Signal Messages? And Other Questions from the Trump Administration’s Recent Declarations

The potentially willful destruction of valuable records at the center of public outcry — and ongoing litigation — is a sign of an administration th…

Federal
April 17, 2025

American Oversight Files Response to Trump Admin’s Failure to Comply with Court Order to Preserve Signalgate Messages

The evidence submitted by the agencies strongly suggests someone took affirmative steps to delete Signal messages — even after a court order.

Trump administration accountability
April 16, 2025

American Oversight Lawsuit Forces CIA to Confirm Federal Records Were Destroyed in Signalgate Scandal

The Trump administration’s court-ordered declarations reveal troubling inconsistencies about agencies’ efforts to preserve messages and expose what…

Trump administration accountabilityFederal
April 15, 2025

American Oversight Seeks Information About DOGE Loyalty Surveillance and Newly Revealed Record-Keeping Failures

American Oversight filed FOIA requests with multiple agencies for records related to DOGE’s reported use of Google Docs for official work, as well …

DOGE secrecyTrump administration accountability
April 11, 2025

Three Ways Trump Administration Officials Are Evading Record-Keeping Requirements (So Far)

Less than three months into the Trump administration, there have been three reported instances of officials using unofficial platforms for governme…

Trump administration accountabilityFederal
April 11, 2025

American Oversight Launches Investigation into Trump Administration’s Plan to Gut Social Security

Our investigation follows reports that the Trump administration plans to slash the Social Security workforce and implement changes to make it harde…

Trump administration accountabilityFederal
April 11, 2025

Judge Orders Additional Declarations in American Oversight’s Case on Use of Signal by Top Trump Official

Despite the Trump administration’s argument that its declarations demonstrated its “best efforts to preserve” all relevant Signal communications, J…

document preservation requirementsTrump administration accountabilityFederal
April 10, 2025

American Oversight Secures Legal Victories in Georgia and Wisconsin, Advancing Election Transparency

American Oversight had two key victories in its work to advance election and voting rights transparency in the states.

2020 election interferencevoting rightsGeorgiaWisconsin
April 9, 2025

American Oversight Slams DOGE for Evasive Response to Court’s Records Preservation Order

Instead of answering the court’s question of whether records responsive to American Oversight’s requests had been preserved, DOGE attorneys filed a…

DOGE secrecyTrump administration accountabilityFederal
April 8, 2025

Following Reports of New Signal Chats, American Oversight Blasts ‘Grossly Inadequate’ Court-Ordered Declarations in Trump Administration’s Signal Use

American Oversight filed its opposition to the Trump administration’s declarations concerning the preservation of Signal messages for being grossly…

document preservation requirementsTrump administration accountabilityFederal
April 4, 2025

Pentagon Inspector General Launches Investigation into Hegseth’s Signal Use

The Defense Department’s independent watchdog is investigating Secretary Pete Hegseth’s use of Signal and compliance with records retention policie…

document preservation requirementsTrump administration accountabilityFederal
April 4, 2025

DOGE Suffers Another Setback, American Oversight Wins Court Order Forcing Preservation of Records

The court ordered DOGE to preserve all records that may be responsive to our FOIA requests, and rejected DOGE’s arguments that its belated steps to…

document preservation requirementsDOGE secrecyTrump administration accountabilityFederal
April 3, 2025

American Oversight Expands Investigation, Demands Gmails Used for Official Business Between Waltz and Other Trump Officials in Rapidly Widening Probe

American Oversight targets unsecured personal emails between Waltz and Hegseth, Gabbard, Ratcliffe, Bessent, or Rubio, following additional revelat…

document preservation requirementsFederal
April 2, 2025

NSA Mike Waltz Used Gmail for Government Work — Here’s Why That Matters

The use of non-governmental communication channels for official business is alarming for the obvious security implications, as well as from a recor…

document preservation requirementsTrump administration accountabilityFederal
April 2, 2025

American Oversight’s Lawsuit Forces Creation of New Records Retention Policy for DOGE

The White House announced a “records retention policy” for DOGE following our lawsuit, on the heels of our other lawsuit over the administration’s …

document preservation requirementsDOGE secrecyTrump administration accountabilityFederal
April 1, 2025

Our Lawsuit Prompted a New Policy from DOGE — But Major Concerns Remain About the Administration’s Preservation of Government Records

Facing pressure from American Oversight and others demanding accountability from DOGE — and amid widespread outrage about Signalgate — the agency l…

document preservation requirementsDOGE secrecyTrump administration accountabilityFederal
April 1, 2025

American Oversight Launches Investigation into Trump Administration’s Widespread Use of Signal 

Following revelations that Signal use is more widespread than previously known, and after American Oversight’s court victory preserving federal rec…

document preservation requirementsTrump administration accountabilityFederal
April 1, 2025

Court Orders Trump Administration to Preserve Signal Messages in American Oversight Lawsuit

The court granted a temporary restraining order to halt the deletion of critical national security communications and preserve Signal communication…

document preservation requirementsTrump administration accountabilityFederal
March 27, 2025

American Oversight Seeks Temporary Restraining Order Against Trump Administration to Stop Destruction of Signal Messages

The urgent court filing seeks to halt the deletion of critical national security communications and preserve evidence of federal records law violat…

document preservation requirementsTrump administration accountabilityFederal
March 26, 2025

American Oversight Sues Trump Administration for Using Signal to Plan Military Operations

The lawsuit targets Hegseth, Gabbard, Ratcliffe, Bessent, Rubio for violating federal records laws by using messaging app Signal for high-level nat…

document preservation requirementsTrump administration accountabilityFederal
March 25, 2025

In the Documents: Missouri AG Bailey’s Contacts with Anti-Abortion Rights Groups

Missouri voters enshrined their constitutional right to abortion in 2024, but state Attorney General Andrew Bailey is still seeking to hinder acces…

reproductive rightsMissouri
March 24, 2025

DOGE Tells American Oversight Its Records Are Not Subject to FOIA, Contradicting Judge’s Recent Ruling

Even after a court ruled that DOGE is likely covered by FOIA, DOGE has claimed its records are presidential records and immune from FOIA — putting …

attacks on FOIADOGE secrecyFederal
March 21, 2025

Celebrating American Oversight’s Transparency Victories This Sunshine Week

The public’s right to information about government actions is under unprecedented threat. American Oversight is fighting back.

attacks on FOIAArizonaFederalFloridaSouth DakotaTexasVirginiaWisconsin
March 20, 2025

American Oversight, CREW, and EPIC Condemn Trump Administration’s War on Transparency

During a Wednesday press call during Sunshine Week, the nonpartisan watchdog organizations detailed ongoing efforts to hold the new Trump administr…

document preservation requirementsDOGE secrecyTrump administration accountability
March 19, 2025