Department of War creates task force to go after leakers

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said on Monday that the Pentagon had created a joint task force aimed at identifying and prosecuting leakers of sensitive national defense information.

By Summer Lane

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has taken action to crack down on the leaking of sensitive national defense information.

On Monday, Hegseth announced the creation of a joint task force – the Department of War and the U.S. Department of Justice – to ensure that leakers are identified and prosecuted.

“As you know, we live in a dynamic and dangerous threat environment, where access to and accumulation of closely held information is key to understanding our world,” he said in a video statement.

Hegseth continued, “The unauthorized disclosure of sensitive War Department information has the very real potential to cause exceptionally grave damage to our national security and the operational integrity of our Armed Forces.”

He said that those who leak secret information “betrays the men and women who wear our nation’s uniform.”

Hegseth said the agency’s Office of General Counsel (OGC) would be able to request all pertinent information across the Pentagon related to media leak investigations.

Pentagon personnel are directed to prioritize these requests, Hegseth noted, and taskings issued by OGC “must receive a full and complete response within 48 hours of issuing.”

“The security of our nation cannot be a bargaining chip for those that seek momentary headlines,” he said. “Access to confidential and secret information is a secret trust and those who betray that trust will be met with the full force of the law.”

This is not the first time that Hegseth has spearheaded efforts to crack down on leaking at the Pentagon. In March 2025, the secretary’s chief of staff sent a memo allegedly warning Department of War personnel that they could potentially be required to take polygraph tests amid reports of alleged leaks, The Hill reported.

Under Hegseth’s leadership, the Pentagon has also reportedly considered implementing NDAs for federal workers to block the leaking of sensitive information.

Photo: Screenshot, X (@SecWar)

From lindelltv.com