Pentagon weighs NDAs and random polygraphs to curb leaks
The Pentagon is considering new leak-prevention rules that would require thousands of headquarters personnel to sign nondisclosure agreements and undergo random polygraph testing, according to draft directives obtained by The Washington Post. Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell rejected the reporting, calling it “untrue and irresponsible.”
Who would be affected?
The draft by Deputy Defense Secretary Steve Feinberg would apply to more than 5,000 uniformed service members, civilian employees and contractors in the Office of the Secretary of Defense and the Joint Staff, The Post reported. One agreement would bar sharing nonpublic information “without approval or through a defined process.”
A second memo outlines randomized polygraph screening for those offices where such tests are not currently routine, The Post said. The documents are unsigned and still under review.
How does the Pentagon justify the move?
Feinberg wrote in the NDA memo that safeguarding sensitive information is essential to “our national security, the safety of our warfighters, and the preservation of critical decision space for our senior leaders.” The memo says violations could lead to discipline, including under the military justice system, if service members do not sign it.
Critics said the Pentagon already has strict rules covering classified and sensitive material, arguing that the new steps appear to be aimed at chilling contact with the press. National security attorney Mark Zaid told The Post the approach seems “far more directed at ensuring loyalty to DOD and the Trump administration leadership rather than countering any foreign espionage.”
A former senior defense official described the proposals as “scare tactics” intended to instill workplace fear, The Post reported.
What’s the recent context?
The push comes amid internal friction over the use of polygraphs. According to The Post, the White House temporarily halted testing earlier this year after a top adviser to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said his staff could be singled out.
Separately, the department has begun requiring Pentagon reporters to sign agreements not to publish information — classified or not — without authorization, with potential credential loss for violations, The National News Desk reported.
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Ella Rae Greene, Editor In Chief
