Defense officials are now confronting increased scrutiny over internal leaks, with the Pentagon launching a new investigation that could subject staff to polygraph testing. The move comes after multiple leaks involving classified discussions tied to high-ranking military officials.
On Friday, a directive went out from Joe Kasper, chief of staff to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, requesting assistance from defense intelligence agencies to support the investigation. While the nature of the disclosures wasn’t detailed, Kasper’s message warned that those responsible could face criminal consequences.
Pentagon announces investigation into leaks, which could include polygraph tests https://t.co/N6K1j8aTmX
— Fox News (@FoxNews) March 23, 2025
President Donald Trump, on the same day, dismissed claims that adviser Elon Musk would receive private intelligence briefings. Musk, whose companies work with the Department of Defense, publicly stated that people leaking false material would be found and prosecuted.
🚨NEW: Department of Defense to polygraph employees in new investigation into leaks to media at the Pentagon.
Find them, prosecute them.
Leaks should not be tolerated.
🇺🇸
— Walter Curt (@WCdispatch_) March 23, 2025
The issue extends beyond the Pentagon. At the Department of Homeland Security, Secretary Kristi Noem said her agency would step up lie detector testing to track down employees passing sensitive information to news outlets. Over at the Justice Department, officials launched a separate review into leaked intelligence about Tren de Aragua, a Venezuelan gang facing deportation efforts.
Polygraph tests are a frequent part of the federal hiring and clearance process, but courts — including the Supreme Court — have ruled against using the results in both civilian and military trials. A decision in 1998 barred their use in military justice proceedings, citing reliability concerns.
George Maschke, a former Army officer who once failed a polygraph while applying to the FBI, says the tests are flawed. He runs a website dedicated to exposing what he calls the misuse of polygraphs by federal agencies.
