Watch those texts! Smartphones emerging as a new way for public figures to get into hot water

Some politicians carry threats to their livelihood in the palms of their hands.

News stories in recent weeks about offensive or ill-advised text messages have blown up the careers of several young Republicans in a chat group, led a nominee for a White House job to drop out, threatened the campaign of a Democrat running for Virginia attorney general and embarrassed a federal prosecutor.

Memories are still fresh of this spring’s inadvertent inclusion of a journalist on a Signal chain where Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and other leaders discussed military strikes, possibly the second Trump administration’s most embarrassing moment.

For journalists, it’s something else entirely. Bad smartphone behavior is fertile ground for reporters seeking insight into people who look to lead us — and presents a challenge to nail down stories when “that’s fake” looms as a default defense.

An unfiltered look into how public people express themselves in private