In the aftermath of a messaging scandal involving The Atlantic’s editor-in-chief, Jeffrey Goldberg, which exposed a confidential group chat among high-ranking officials in the Trump administration discussing a planned attack on Houthi rebels in Yemen, the encrypted messaging app Signal has experienced a significant increase in downloads. Following the widespread media reports of these sensitive discussions, Signal’s app downloads have doubled as more individuals explore the app.
Data from app intelligence provider Appfigures indicates that downloads surged by 26% on the day the news became public, highlighting user interest in the app reportedly used by Trump administration officials. On the subsequent day, downloads climbed to 193,000, reaching an unprecedented 195,000 by Wednesday, according to Appfigures.
Typically, Signal records an average of 95,000 downloads daily.
Appfigures has been monitoring the scandal’s impact on Signal’s app usage since its inception. It was initially reported that downloads on iOS and Google Play soared by 28% on the first day of the news release, with U.S. downloads increasing by 45% and downloads in Yemen rising by 42%.
The Trump administration has downplayed the gravity of the incident involving the accidental addition of The Atlantic journalist to a group chat. Despite Secretary of Defense Peter Hegseth’s denial of sharing any “war plans” through the encrypted app, The Atlantic published detailed message threads revealing discussions of the timing, location, and weapons to be used in the planned attack. In response, Trump has criticized the media for its ongoing coverage of the issue.
It is important to note that Signal’s app itself was not breached. Instead, the inclusion of the journalist in the chat occurred erroneously. National Security Adviser Michael Waltz has taken responsibility for setting up the group chat but has deflected blame for the mistake.
Appfigures attributes the doubling of Signal’s downloads to the increased publicity from the scandal, which likely introduced the app to new users.
