Trump says Venezuela leaker is in jail following warrant at WaPo reporter’s home
U.S. President Trump said a leaker connected to Venezuela-related information has been identified and jailed, as the Justice Department confirmed a criminal investigation involving the alleged mishandling of classified material by a Pentagon contractor.
Speaking during a signing ceremony at the White House on Wednesday, Trump said the individual responsible for the leak was “in jail right now,” adding that authorities were pursuing additional suspects.
“That’s the leaker on Venezuela,” Trump said. “Very bad leaker. There could be some others … we are hot on their trail.”
In a statement posted earlier, U.S. Attorney General Pamela Bondi said the Department of Justice and the FBI executed a search warrant at the home of a Washington Post journalist who had obtained and reported classified information that was illegally leaked by a Pentagon contractor. Bondi said the contractor is currently in custody.
Bondi said the action followed a request from the Department of War and involved classified material that she said posed “a grave risk” to national security and to U.S. service members.
According to The Washington Post, the search took place at the home of reporter Hannah Natanson in Virginia. Federal agents searched the residence and seized multiple electronic devices belonging to Natanson, including personal and work-issued equipment.
The outlet also reported receiving a subpoena seeking communications related to the same government contractor.
The Post reported that investigators told Natanson is not the target of the investigation. The probe centers on Aurelio Perez-Lugones, a Maryland-based system administrator with top-secret clearance who has been accused of unlawfully retaining national defense information.
Federal authorities charged Perez-Lugones on Friday, and he remains in custody in Maryland following an initial court appearance. He is scheduled to appear in court again on Thursday.
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Ella Rae Greene, Editor In Chief
