Top Hegseth Aide Escorted Out of Pentagon in Leak Probe
A senior advisor to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth was removed from the Pentagon and placed on administrative leave, as reported by a Defense Department official.
Dan Caldwell was suspended due to an “unauthorized disclosure” of information amid an ongoing investigation into leaks originating from within the Pentagon. Caldwell, known for his foreign policy realism, previously collaborated with the restraint-focused think tank Defense Priorities and Concerned Veterans for America, which was once led by Hegseth. He has been a strong proponent of significantly decreasing the U.S. military footprint in Europe and withdrawing forces from Iraq and Syria.
Recently, the Pentagon announced a new initiative aimed at identifying individuals leaking information from within the Defense Department concerning “recent unauthorized disclosures of national security information.” The announcement indicated that the DoD would employ polygraph tests to determine who may have been leaking sensitive or classified data.
“The implementation of polygraphs in this investigation will adhere to relevant laws and policies,” stated DOD Chief of Staff Joe Kasper in a memorandum. “This investigation will begin immediately and will result in a report to the Secretary of Defense.”
The report will encompass a comprehensive account of unauthorized disclosures within the Department of Defense, along with suggestions to enhance such initiatives,” the memorandum indicated.
Caldwell’s close association with Hegseth was underscored in a leaked Signal chat regarding U.S. operations against the Houthis, where Hegseth designated him as the Pentagon’s liaison for the mission. This private dialogue was revealed after National Security Advisor Mike Waltz inadvertently included The Atlantic’s editor-in-chief, Jeffrey Goldberg, in the group.
This leak is distinct from the incident involving the unauthorized disclosure of classified U.S. intelligence concerning the munitions deployed in Iran.
The memorandum further emphasized that “information identifying an individual responsible for an unauthorized disclosure” would be submitted for criminal prosecution.
