Committee hearings are supposed to be serious and solemn events. However, things took a different turn when Florida Representative Jared Moskowitz began trolling Trump administration officials. During a markup of the House Judiciary Committee on March 25, 2025, he mocked the recent security breach involving a Signal group chat among Trump’s national security team. He wasn’t alone in this effort, as Maryland Representative Jamie Raskin also joined in.
In the video, Jared Moskowitz can be seen holding up a large piece of paper with three emojis. He jokingly suggested that instead of delivering long speeches, they should simply raise the card to show agreement.
While this joke may seem out of left field, it was actually a jab at how Trump administration officials used Signal to discuss important security matters. Instead of using proper and secure communication channels, some officials had relied on the messaging app to share confidential information.
The situation becomes even more alarming when one considers that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth invited The Atlantic’s editor-in-chief, Jeffrey Goldberg, into the Signal group chat. If the chat had been purely casual, it might have been a different matter. However, it reportedly contained sensitive details about a planned U.S. military operation in Yemen. Representative Joaquin Castro has gone as far as accusing Hegseth of lying after he insisted that the information shared was not classified.
Jamie Raskin also disapproved of the Trump administration officials’ improper conduct. He played along with Moskowitz by asking questions that indirectly referenced the Signal group chat. Even Representative Thomas Massie joined in, jokingly suggesting that they should have used the flexed arm emoji instead of the fist.
Schadenfreude
Such an act would typically be considered improper, but many believe the Trump administration officials had it coming. “This is brilliant,” one Redditor commented. Given how unprofessional some politicians have been acting, it’s no surprise that people find satisfaction in seeing them humiliated.
Another user noted that while they didn’t appreciate making light of the situation, they felt that trolling and humiliation were the only effective tactics against Trump officials. “We have top US government officials lying through their teeth under oath to Congress. I say keep it up to make them look foolish,” the Redditor remarked.
Some users questioned whether the Signal chat controversy was the first instance of politicians using an unsecured messaging app to discuss classified matters. Others debated whether these officials were simply incompetent or intentionally acting maliciously. “This Trump administration is a bunch of idiots. I couldn’t believe I saw these stupid emojis in a chat about bombing a country,” another user said.
