On Monday, July 14th, 2026, Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth announced the creation of a joint task force with the Department of Justice (DOJ) to identify and prosecute officials responsible for leaking sensitive information to the media.

Hegseth stated that the Pentagon's Office of General Counsel (OGC) has been empowered to request and receive all information, records, and support across the department related to news media leak investigations. "To combat the dangers that leaks pose, effectively immediately, I have delegated tasking authority to the war department’s office of general counsel," he said in a video shared on X.

He emphasized the risks posed by leaked information, saying, "Leaked information risks lives, these new tools and processes will greatly assist us in protecting our joint force."

Hegseth also underscored the seriousness of the issue: "The security of our nation cannot be a bargaining chip for those who seek momentary headlines, access to confidential and secret information is a sacred trust, and those who betray that trust will be met with the full force of the law."

Attorney General Todd Blanche expressed support for the initiative, stating he was "proud that our departments are working together closer than we have ever before."

This announcement follows recent DOJ subpoenas issued to four reporters at The New York Times. The subpoenas seek to compel testimony before a federal grand jury regarding a report on security concerns about a plane gifted to former President Donald Trump by Qatar, which he used to travel to a recent NATO summit in Turkey.

In response, David McCraw, an attorney for The New York Times, said, "The appearance of federal law enforcement agents on the doorstep of news reporters should shock the conscience of any American who believes in the Constitution and the press freedom it protects."

Sources