Pentagon Leak Investigation Halted—that’s the latest development after the White House abruptly ended a controversial internal security probe. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth recently planned to use polygraph tests to catch leakers inside the Pentagon. However, a senior adviser raised concerns.
Patrick Weaver, an adviser to Hegseth, warned top administration officials about the polygraph tests. His objection reached the White House quickly. As a result, officials contacted Hegseth directly and ordered him to shut down the lie detector program.
According to reports, the leak investigation began in late March. Hegseth’s then-chief of staff, Joe Kasper, had issued a strict internal memo. “Unauthorized leaks demand immediate and thorough investigation,” Kasper wrote on March 21. He also emphasized using polygraphs in line with federal policy.
Weaver, who worked in Trump’s first administration, strongly objected to the proposed testing. He previously served in the Department of Homeland Security. Furthermore, he held positions on the National Security Council. Weaver reportedly saw the polygraph idea as an overreach and breach of trust. Meanwhile, the Pentagon has been dealing with multiple security controversies this year. One major example is the so-called “Signalgate” scandal.
Sensitive military conversations were leaked from an encrypted Signal group chat. The chat included several high-ranking Trump administration officials. That list included Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and CIA Director John Ratcliffe. Hegseth also participated in those discussions. Notably, Jeffrey Goldberg, editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, was mistakenly added to the secure group. National Security Advisor Michael Waltz took full responsibility for the mistake.
Consequently, many inside the administration viewed the leak probe as necessary. However, others saw it as politically risky. In the end, the White House decided the polygraph plan could cause more problems than it solved. Critics believe Hegseth crossed a line by threatening staff with lie detector tests. Supporters argue he tried to protect national security. Regardless, with the Pentagon Leak Investigation Halted, the administration must find new ways to handle internal breaches.
This case highlights the ongoing challenge of maintaining loyalty and secrecy inside the highest levels of government.
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