Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Monday that the Pentagon and Department of Justice have formed a coordinated task force to identify and prosecute what he called unauthorized disclosures of sensitive information to journalists, signaling an intensified White House effort to clamp down on government leaks.
In a video posted to X, Hegseth said he has delegated authority to the Pentagon's office of general counsel to request records and departmental support for media leak investigations. He framed the initiative as a national security necessity, warning that leaked information endangers lives and that those who breach classified access would face prosecution.
"The security of our nation cannot be a bargaining chip for those who seek momentary headlines," Hegseth said. "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." He acknowledged acting Attorney General Todd Blanche's role in creating the joint effort and praised the closer collaboration between the two departments.
The announcement arrives as federal prosecutors issued subpoenas to New York Times reporters investigating a security issue with President Trump's new Qatari-gifted Air Force One. The Times reported Wednesday that Trump flew on the older presidential aircraft as a precaution after Secret Service concerns, followed by reporting Thursday that the newer plane lacked certain advanced security systems. Both stories cited anonymous sources.
Federal agents appeared at the homes of the Times reporters over the weekend with subpoenas demanding testimony before a grand jury in Manhattan. The newspaper said an FBI official had earlier urged the publication to withhold its first story on grounds of national security but refused to explain the specific concern or allow the Times to withhold disclosure of its sources. The Times declined.
David McCraw, the Times's chief legal officer, rejected the subpoenas in a statement, saying that federal law enforcement showing up at journalists' doors "should shock the conscience of any American who believes in the Constitution and the press freedom it protects."
A Justice Department spokesperson told the Times that journalists are not targets of the investigation, only those leaking classified material. The department said it values press freedom but must ensure government officials properly handle classified information.
The National Press Club condemned the subpoenas as a threat to the public's constitutional right to independent journalism. The Times characterized the action as "an extraordinary escalation in President Trump's efforts to threaten and intimidate independent news organizations."
This marks the latest in a pattern of federal pressure on newsrooms. The Justice Department previously sought to compel testimony from Wall Street Journal and Washington Post journalists before withdrawing those subpoenas after legal challenges. In January, federal agents raided the home of a Washington Post reporter investigating a government contractor's handling of classified material.
Author James Rodriguez: "This taskforce represents a chilling turn in how the government pursues sources, and the timing with active subpoenas of Times reporters suggests the administration is serious about making an example of leakers and the journalists who report their disclosures."
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