Pentagon Launches Joint DOJ Task Force to Stop Dangerous Information Leaks

Clear Facts

• Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced a joint Pentagon-DOJ task force to prosecute officials who leak sensitive information to the media
• The Pentagon’s Office of General Counsel now has authority to access all department records related to leak investigations
• The move follows recent DOJ subpoenas issued to New York Times reporters regarding a story on President Trump’s Air Force One security

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Monday the creation of a joint task force with the Department of Justice aimed at identifying and prosecuting government officials who leak sensitive national security information to the press. The initiative represents a significant escalation in the administration’s efforts to protect classified and confidential materials from unauthorized disclosure.

Under the new directive, the Pentagon’s Office of General Counsel (OGC) has been granted expanded authority to request and receive all information, support, and records across the department concerning news media leak investigations.

“To combat the dangers that leaks pose, effective immediately, I have delegated tasking authority to the war department’s office of general counsel, empowering OGC to request and receive all information, records and support across the department concerning media leak investigations,” Hegseth said in a video statement shared on social media.

“Leaked information risks lives, these new tools and processes will greatly assist us in protecting our joint force,” Hegseth continued.

“The security of our nation cannot be a bargaining chip for those who seek momentary headlines, access to confidential and secret information is a sacred trust, and those who betray that trust will be met with the full force of the law.”

The secretary thanked Acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche for his support in the initiative. Hegseth expressed pride that the departments “are working together closer than we have ever before.”

The announcement comes days after the DOJ issued subpoenas to four New York Times reporters, requiring them to testify before a federal grand jury. The subpoenas followed the newspaper’s reporting on security concerns involving the aircraft gifted to President Donald Trump by Qatar, which he used to travel to Turkey for a NATO summit.

Critics of the subpoenas, including press freedom advocacy groups, have argued the administration is attempting to intimidate journalists conducting legitimate government oversight reporting. However, supporters of the leak crackdown emphasize that unauthorized disclosures of sensitive national security information pose genuine risks to American personnel and operations.

Since assuming leadership of the Pentagon, Hegseth has made stemming unauthorized leaks a top priority. The department has opened multiple investigations into officials accused of leaking classified information and has indicated willingness to conduct polygraph examinations to identify sources of leaks.

The administration’s position reflects a fundamental tension between government transparency and operational security. While press freedom advocates emphasize the public’s right to know how taxpayer dollars are spent and how government operates, national security officials stress that certain information must remain protected to safeguard American lives and strategic interests.

Last month, a federal judge granted a preliminary injunction against certain Pentagon press restrictions, ruling that requirements for official chaperones violated First Amendment protections. That case, brought by The New York Times, remains in litigation.

The new task force represents the administration’s commitment to holding accountable those who compromise national security through unauthorized disclosures. As Hegseth emphasized, access to classified information carries weighty responsibilities that cannot be taken lightly in an era of complex global threats.

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