Defense Secretary Ash Carter Says He Is 'Extremely Careful' With Email

Ash Carter said when he does use email, he keeps it short.

ByABC News
August 28, 2015, 5:21 PM
Defense Secretary Ash Carter speaks during a news conference at the Pentagon, Aug. 20, 2015.
Defense Secretary Ash Carter speaks during a news conference at the Pentagon, Aug. 20, 2015.
AP Photo

— -- Defense Secretary Ash Carter said now that he holds the Pentagon's top job, he is very careful with his email.

"I'm extremely careful about it," Carter said during an interview with Bloomberg Television today.

His comments come as Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Clinton continues to deal with criticism about her use of a private email server for official emails during her time as secretary of state.

In his old job, Carter said he used email all the time.

“Now, in this job, I use a different way of operating,” he said, noting that on the occasions he does send email, he keeps them short.

"In general, my staff uses messages, and of course we send copious messages back and forth around the world," Carter said. "For myself, I am very careful."

The office of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in the Pentagon nearly experienced a serious breach recently when a staff member opened an email he shouldn't have, Carter said.

"The department as a whole uses email and all kinds of other electronic aids all day and we need to protect that," he said.