A top advisor to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was escorted out of the Pentagon on Tuesday and placed on administrative leave, according to a Defense Department official.
Dan Caldwell had been placed on leave for an “unauthorized disclosure” of information amid an investigation into Pentagon leaks an official confirmed to Fox News Digital that Reuters’ initial reporting is accurate but declined to comment on an ongoing investigation.
Last month the Defense Department announced a probe into “recent unauthorized disclosures of national security information” and said it planned to use polygraphs to determine the source of leaks.
“The use of polygraphs in the execution of this investigation will be in accordance with applicable law and policy,” DOD Chief of Staff Joe Kasper wrote in a memo. “This investigation will commence immediately and culminate in a report to the Secretary of Defense.” He wrote that “information identifying a party responsible for an unauthorized disclosure” would be referred for criminal prosecution.”
Last month, National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard announced increased security measures following a number of leaks within the intelligence community. “Our nation’s Intelligence Community must be focused on our national security mission. Politically motivated leaks undermine our national security and the trust of the American people, and will not be tolerated,” she declared on Friday in a thread on X.
“Unfortunately, such leaks have become commonplace with no investigation or accountability. That ends now. We know of and are aggressively pursuing recent leakers from within the Intelligence Community and will hold them accountable,” Gabbard added. She then listed several “recent examples” of intelligence community leaks:
- “A leaker who has been sharing classified information with the Huffington Post”
- “A leaker within the IC sharing information on Israel / Iran with The Washington Post”
- “A leaker within the IC sharing information about the U.S. – Russia relationship with NBC”
- “A leaker sharing information on NCSC activities and actions with The Record”
Gabbard concluded the thread by warning that unauthorized disclosure of classified material is a breach of the law and will be handled accordingly. Gabbard, a former Democrat Congresswoman from Hawaii who turned Republican, was sworn in last month after a 52-48 vote. During her confirmation hearing, she promised to end the politicization of intelligence and restore trust in the national security apparatus tasked with protecting American citizens.
