Vittert: Politicians are sending ‘stupid’ texts

Want to see more of NewsNation? Get 24/7 fact-based news coverage with the NewsNation app or add NewsNation as a preferred source on Google!

(NewsNation) — NewsNation host Leland Vittert has a modest proposal for U.S. politicians: Put down your phones for your own good.

CNN has obtained more than 2,300 text messages that former President Donald Trump’s chief of staff, Mark Meadows, sent and received between Election Day and President Joe Biden’s January 2021 inauguration.

The texts may not show evidence of any crimes, but Vittert said they did show “extreme stupidity by people who are supposed to know better than sending a text.”

Vittert had advice for Meadows, Sean Hannity, Ivanka Trump, Mike Lindell, Ted Cruz and other Republican members of Congress: “It’s not hard, use an encrypted text app that self destructs.”

On Balance with Leland Vittert

Copyright 2026 Nexstar Broadcasting, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.