Another Pentagon Leak, Another Shock For Trump

The Pentagon has reportedly taken an unusually aggressive step in its effort to identify the source of sensitive leaks, subjecting dozens of senior military officials and civilian employees to polygraph examinations.

The testing is part of an investigation into disclosures to the news media involving the U.S. military’s weapons stockpiles during the ongoing conflict with Iran. According to officials familiar with the matter, dozens of people were tested, including personnel connected to the Joint Staff and U.S. Central Command.

CBS News reported that several dozen officials underwent examinations earlier this summer, while another group was tested in August. The questions reportedly covered whether officials had shared classified information concerning U.S. munitions with journalists.

The investigation has focused in part on reports concerning the pace at which the United States has been using some of its most advanced weapons. Those reports have included information about supplies of long-range missiles and Patriot interceptors, according to the reporting surrounding the investigation.

Despite the scope of the testing, officials told CBS News that no one failed the questions intended to determine whether they had provided information to the media. Not every senior military leader was tested. Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, was not among those who underwent a polygraph, according to a senior Pentagon official.

The reported investigation reflects the Pentagon’s heightened concern over classified information reaching the press. Officials told CBS that only a relatively small number of people had access to some of the sensitive weapons information, prompting investigators to examine whether someone with high-level access could have disclosed it.

There was reportedly an additional concern that a person with access to classified information could potentially have connections to a foreign intelligence service. That possibility has added another layer to an investigation that began with questions about media leaks.

Polygraph examinations are not unusual for government personnel with access to highly classified material. What officials described as unusual in this case was the sheer number of senior military and civilian personnel brought into the testing process.

The Pentagon has declined to discuss the details of the internal investigation. Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said the department does not comment on personnel or investigative matters but takes the unauthorized disclosure of classified national security information seriously and investigates such incidents.

The investigation comes after months of reports about U.S. weapons usage during the conflict with Iran. As American forces have relied on sophisticated and limited munitions, reporting about the pace of those expenditures has drawn attention inside the Pentagon.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has pushed back against reports portraying the military as facing serious weapons shortages. At the same time, President Donald Trump has repeatedly expressed anger over classified information being leaked from his administration.

In an August Truth Social post, Trump said officials responsible for what he described as “treasonous” leaks were being pursued and that prosecutors would seek lengthy prison sentences.

The reported polygraph operation now adds a significant new development to that effort. Rather than focusing only on lower-level personnel, investigators have reportedly questioned officials from some of the Pentagon’s most senior ranks as they attempt to determine how sensitive information about U.S. military capabilities reached the public.