Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has just issued a warning on those responsible for leaking information from the Pentagon.
Hegseth vowed that Pentagon leakers “will be prosecuted” when they are caught.
This push for investigations comes after top officials were removed from the Department of Defense (DOD) for allegedly leaking information to reporters.
One of the officials who was removed, John Ullyot, also penned an op-ed on Sunday.
The article depicts behind-the-scenes turmoil within the DOD.
In response, Hegseth said that Ullyot “misrepresented” his leadership and the Pentagon in his piece.
In a statement on Tuesday, Hegseth said:
“We’re going to investigate and take it anywhere it leads.
“It led to unfortunate places for people I have known for a long time,” Hegseth added.
“It is not my job to protect them; I protect national security.”
Hegseth also argued that the leakers are working to curb President Donald Trump’s policies and leadership.
As such, Hegseth launched the investigation and subsequent prosecution of leakers at the Pentagon.
“When evidence is gathered — and this happened quickly — it will be handed over to the DOJ, and the people will be prosecuted,” Hegseth said.
“The leakers know who they are, the truth will be told, and we stand behind that.”
Three other officials who were removed for alleged leaks — Dan Caldwell, Colin Carroll, and Darin Selnick — issued a joint statement on Saturday expressing disappointment in the Department of Defense.
However, they also maintained their support for Trump and his administration.
“We are incredibly disappointed by the manner in which our service at the Department of Defense ended,” the statement reads.
“Unnamed Pentagon officials have slandered our character with baseless attacks on our way out the door.
“All three of us served our country honorably in uniform — for two of us, this included deployments to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
“And, based on our collective service, we understand the importance of information security and worked every day to protect it.”
“At this time, we still have not been told what exactly we were investigated for, if there is still an active investigation, or if there was even a real investigation of ‘leaks’ to begin with,” the statement continued.
“While this experience has been unconscionable, we remain supportive of the Trump-Vance Administration’s mission to make the Pentagon great again and achieve peace through strength.
“We hope in the future to support those efforts in different capacities.”
Notably, Caldwell was the senior adviser designated as Hegseth’s point of contact in the now-infamous Signal chat leak.
Hegseth has maintained that the Signal chat did not include classified or sensitive information.
Speaking of Caldwell, Carroll, and Selnick’s removal, Hegseth said:
“It was the result of an ongoing investigation.
“We identified sufficient evidence; the evidence will have to keep going.
“They, or others near them, were party to leaking.
“I have a statutory responsibility, if I believe that is the case, to ensure they no longer have access, and the investigation commences.”
“If we think you are leaking to the press, that’s a real problem we take seriously at the Pentagon,” Hegseth added.
“I’m here to do one job for the president and the American people: secure the country, America first, peace through strength.
“I don’t have time for leakers or hoax media.”
