A second Defense Department official — this time the Pentagon’s Deputy Chief of Staff — has been relieved of duty and placed on administrative leave amid a probe into “unauthorized disclosures” regarding key figures within the department.
Darin Selnick, DoD deputy chief of staff, was reportedly suspended and escorted from the Pentagon just one day after Dan Caldwell, an aide to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, was also removed from the building under suspicion that he was involved in leaking information. Both Selnick and Caldwell have previously worked with Hegseth at a veterans group the defense secretary headed, Concerned Veterans for America.
An investigation into the matter was announced last month, citing “recent unauthorized disclosures of national security information,” which, according to reports, included revealing details regarding billionaire Elon Musk’s visit to the Pentagon and the defense secretary’s recent trip to Panama.
DOD Chief of Staff Joe Kasper said when the probe was announced, “The use of polygraphs in the execution of this investigation will be in accordance with applicable law and policy. This investigation will commence immediately and culminate in a report to the Secretary of Defense.”
The Defense Department is not alone in its struggle to uncover those who would leak unauthorized information.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced a similar probe in March, with DHS assistant secretary for public affairs Tricia McLaughlin telling Fox News Digital that the Department of Homeland Security would also utilize polygraph testing in its effort to root out any potential leakers.
“Under Secretary Noem’s leadership, DHS is unapologetic about its efforts to root out leakers that undermine national security. We are agnostic about your standing, tenure, political appointment or status as a career civil servant – we will track down leakers and prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law,” McLaughlin said at the time.
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard also vowed to hold leakers accountable, saying, “Politically motivated leaks undermine our national security and the trust of the American people and will not be tolerated. Unfortunately, such leaks have become commonplace with no investigation or accountability. That ends now.”
