The Pentagon and the US Department of Justice have joined forces in Washington DC to launch an aggressive new initiative aimed at stopping government whistleblowers.
Unveiled by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Monday, the taskforce will identify and prosecute individuals accused of sharing confidential information with the media. Officials say the crackdown is necessary to safeguard national security, but the unprecedented move has already sent shockwaves through major news organisations.
In a major escalation of the Trump administration's campaign against media leaks, the Pentagon and the Department of Justice have formed a partnership to target government insiders. Announced by US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Monday, the 'joint taskforce to identify and prosecute' will focus on what he described as the 'unauthorized disclosure of sensitive' information to journalists.
Speaking in a video message shared on X, Hegseth said the Pentagon's Office of General Counsel has been given immediate oversight of the investigations. The directive authorises the OGC to obtain records, data and departmental support needed to identify media leaks and counter what it describes as the threats they pose.
The Defense Secretary argued that unauthorised disclosures put lives at risk and said the new system is essential to protecting the US military. Stressing that national security should never be compromised for...
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