Overview

• The Washington Post obtained unsigned, undated drafts attributed to Deputy Defense Secretary Steve Feinberg proposing nondisclosure agreements for personnel in the Office of the Secretary of Defense and the Joint Staff, estimated at more than 5,000 people.
• The memos would authorize random polygraph testing across those offices, potentially covering everyone from four-star generals to administrative assistants and going beyond current periodic screening practices.
• Pentagon reporters are being required to sign agreements not to publish information unless it is authorized for release, with potential loss of credentials for those who refuse.
• Individuals quoted in the reporting, including attorney Mark Zaid and anonymous Pentagon insiders, argue the measures target leaks and enforce loyalty rather than address foreign intelligence risks.
• A limited polygraph effort launched in July was halted after the White House intervened following a complaint from senior Hegseth adviser Patrick Weaver, and the broader proposals have not been finalized.