ADDS WITKOFF'S REMARKS By Yasin Gungor ISTANBUL (AA) - The White House rejected on Wednesday a Wall Street Journal report alleging that US special envoy Steve Witkoff used the Signal messaging app during Moscow negotiations as "classic fake news.” "Steve Witkoff was provided a secure line of communication by the U.S. Government, and it was the only phone he had in his possession while in Moscow," spokesperson Karoline Leavitt wrote on X. She accused the newspaper's editorial board of failing to seek comment before publishing the "lies." Leavitt defended Witkoff as "a great patriot working effectively on behalf of (US) President (Donald) Trump to secure world peace," accusing the report as a tool to "knock" him. Witkoff said it was "incredulous" that the newspaper did not check with him about the claims. "I only had with me a secure phone provided by the government for special circumstances when you travel to regions where you do not want your devices compromised," Witkoff wrote on X. He said he did not have access to his personal devices in Russia. "That is the responsible way for me to make these trips," he said. The rebuke comes after the news outlet said Witkoff's alleged use of Signal while discussing the Middle East and Ukraine conflicts is "security malpractice," suggesting Russian intelligence could monitor communications. The report is linked to a broader Signal controversy involving a "Houthi PC small group" chat that accidentally included Atlantic editor Jeffrey Goldberg. Trump has downplayed the Signal group incident, stating no classified information was shared.
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