Trump Administration’s Elusive Quest to Prosecute Media Leakers

Clear Facts

• The Trump administration has yet to prosecute any media leakers despite significant efforts to uncover them.
• Various government agencies, including the Department of Defense and FBI, have used polygraph tests to identify potential leakers.
• The Department of Justice has prosecuted an individual for attempting to transmit national defense information to a foreign government, but not for leaking to the media.

The Trump administration, despite its aggressive stance and extensive measures to identify leakers, has not prosecuted a single individual for leaking information to the media. This revelation comes amidst a backdrop of heightened efforts by various government agencies to clamp down on unauthorized disclosures.

The Department of Defense (DOD) has taken the unusual step of employing lie detector tests on its employees. This move, revealed in a memo from DOD Chief of Staff Joe Kasper, underscores the seriousness with which the administration is pursuing potential leakers.

Similarly, both the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) have adopted polygraph testing as part of their strategy to root out those responsible for leaks.

The Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) has been active in this effort as well. In April, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard tweeted about referring two alleged leakers to the Department of Justice (DOJ).

An ODNI spokesperson later confirmed that a third referral had been made and mentioned that 12 other leak investigations are ongoing. “Politicization of our intelligence and leaking classified information puts our nation’s security at risk and must end,” Gabbard emphasized.

DHS Secretary Kristi Noem also stated that her department has identified criminal leakers and is preparing to refer them to the DOJ for prosecution. “We have identified criminal leakers within our department and are preparing to refer these perpetrators to the Department of Justice for felony prosecutions,” she declared.

Despite these concerted efforts, the Trump administration has yet to achieve a concrete outcome in prosecuting media leakers. A DOJ spokesperson declined to comment on any progress regarding these prosecutions.

The DOJ has, however, prosecuted Nathan Laatsch, a former Defense Intelligence Agency employee, for attempting to transmit national defense information to a foreign government, not for leaking to the media.

High-profile leaks have been a persistent issue for the Trump administration. In one instance, a journalist was inadvertently added to a Signal chat discussing military plans, revealing the vulnerability of sensitive information.

In another case, a leaked Defense Intelligence Agency report on U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities led to President Trump calling for action against the journalist involved.

These incidents have prompted the administration to reconsider how classified information is shared, particularly with Congress. Despite the administration’s bluster and determination, the challenge of prosecuting media leakers remains unresolved.

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