Overview
- The War Department and Department of Justice announced a joint task force that the War secretary says will identify and prosecute people who disclose sensitive Pentagon information to reporters.
- Pete Hegseth directed the War Department Office of General Counsel to gather records on leak investigations and coordinate with acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and other federal law enforcement.
- The move follows DOJ subpoenas tied to Pentagon reporting, including past demands to the Wall Street Journal and recent subpoenas for New York Times journalists, which officials say target sources rather than reporters.
- The Justice Department is also probing an allegation that a Pentagon contractor retained classified documents and provided them to a Washington Post reporter, a case cited as part of the new enforcement push.
- News organizations warn the stepped-up legal actions could chill newsgathering and increase litigation over reporting, while officials say the effort seeks to prevent harm to service members and operational security.