Overview
- Agents searched Hannah Natanson’s Virginia residence on Wednesday and seized her phone, two laptops, and a smartwatch, according to the Washington Post.
- Authorities say the investigation targets Maryland systems administrator Aurelio Perez-Lugones, who was charged earlier this month with unlawfully retaining national defense information.
- Court filings cited by news outlets describe classified documents marked “SECRET,” including one found in a lunchbox, recovered during earlier searches tied to the contractor.
- Attorney General Pam Bondi said the search was conducted at the Pentagon’s request and that the suspected leaker is jailed, while FBI Director Kash Patel said the probe remains ongoing.
- The Washington Post and press-freedom groups condemned the search as unusually aggressive, as the White House and DOJ defended a zero-tolerance stance on classified leaks following last April’s policy rollback.