Telegram does have E2EE in secret chats. WhatsApp does NOT have E2EE because it backs up your private keys to cloud storage by default. Even if you don't, your contacts might. Therefore WhatsApp is less secure.
Using Whatsapp is like sending a locked chest to your friend and a copy thereof + a copy of the key to unlock it to a warehouse. Government employees and warehouse workers can enter the warehouse at will, use the key to open your chest, and copy everything too.
Nice lock.