International
oi-Swastika Sruti
US officials have been investigating classified information leaks originating from the Pentagon, with 50 military and civilian officers in the Joint Staff undergoing polygraph tests.
The US Pentagon is investigating classified information leaks by subjecting 50 Joint Staff officers to polygraph tests to identify individuals who shared details on military equipment and ammunition status with the media.
The investigation is believed to be targeting officials who have passed classified information to the media, including information on ammunition and weapons inventories in the US during the war with Iran.
This step is considered very uncharacteristic and has been seen as raising concerns in the Pentagon over the mounting pressures facing officials and journalists alike.
Why Are Joint Staff Officials Being Tested?
As reported in The New York Times, interrogations involved asking military officers and other government employees whether they shared any classified information with journalists.
In addition, some of the questions are claimed to have concerned whether or not the officials revealed the information related to the decreasing amounts of critical arms and ammunition of the US.
Polygraph testing was carried out in August after a number of reports about shortages in some military equipment, such as long-range missiles and Patriot air-defence interceptors.
The probe is targeted at the Joint Staff, which is a key entity responsible for coordination of the US military actions and plans along with US combatant commands worldwide.
About 1,500 to 2,000 officers and officials are employed by the Joint Staff.
Pentagon Calls Classified Information a National Security Issue
The Pentagon has not confirmed details of the reported testing programme.
Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said the department does not comment on internal personnel or investigative matters but stressed that leaks of classified national security information are taken seriously.
He said protecting classified information was essential to safeguarding the United States and American troops deployed around the world.
The comments indicate that the Pentagon is treating the investigation as a national security matter rather than simply an internal disciplinary exercise.
‘Leak Hunt Like Never Before’
The scale of the reported investigation has attracted attention because mass polygraph testing among senior US military officials is considered highly unusual.
People familiar with the effort told the newspaper that the programme may have two purposes: identifying officials who provided information to journalists and discouraging others from making unauthorised disclosures.
The investigation comes at a sensitive time for the US military, with news organisations reporting on the effect of the Iran war on American weapons stockpiles.
Reports about shortages of key munitions could potentially expose concerns about the military’s ability to sustain a prolonged conflict or respond to another major security crisis.
Trump Has Taken a Hard Line on Leaks
US President Donald Trump has repeatedly pushed his administration to identify people responsible for unauthorised disclosures.
His criticism has extended beyond government officials accused of leaking information. Trump has also attacked media coverage that questions the US handling of the Iran war or highlights weapons shortages.
At times, he has described critical coverage as “treasonous”, intensifying concerns among press-freedom advocates about the pressure being placed on journalists reporting on national security issues.
Hegseth Previously Faced Signal Controversy
Hegseth has faced criticism over his use of the encrypted messaging app Signal for discussions involving sensitive military operations.
Last year, he was criticised after details about US strikes in Yemen were shared in a Signal group that included individuals who were not supposed to receive such operational information.
The episode raised questions about how sensitive military information was being handled at the highest levels of the Defence Department.
Trump, however, has continued to support Hegseth and has publicly praised his performance.
Stars and Stripes Dismissals Add to Press Concerns
Concerns over the Pentagon’s relationship with the media have also grown following action against journalists at Stars and Stripes, the government-funded publication that covers the US military.
Last month, the Defence Department dismissed the publication’s publisher and editor-in-chief. The journalists said they believed the move was connected to their reporting on worsening conditions aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln.
The episode has further fuelled debate over whether the Pentagon is becoming increasingly hostile towards reporting that reflects negatively on military leadership or operational readiness.
His criticism is significant because it comes from within Trump’s own party and from a senator with a direct role in overseeing the Pentagon.
