A senior advisor to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was removed from the Pentagon on Tuesday and placed on administrative leave, as reported by a Defense Department official.
Reuters was the first to report that Dan Caldwell was suspended due to an ‘unauthorized disclosure’ of information, amidst an ongoing investigation into leaks originating from within the Pentagon. A DOD official confirmed this report to Fox News Digital but refrained from providing further comments due to the active investigation.
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 for a significant reduction of the U.S. military presence in Europe and for the withdrawal of troops from Iraq and Syria.
In March, the Pentagon initiated an effort to identify 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 was allegedly leaking sensitive or classified data, as noted by Fox News.
“The implementation of polygraphs during this investigation will adhere to relevant laws and policies,” stated DOD Chief of Staff Joe Kasper in a memorandum. “This investigation will begin promptly and conclude with a report directed 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 these efforts,” the memorandum indicated.
The memorandum also indicated that “information identifying a party responsible for an unauthorized disclosure” would be forwarded for criminal prosecution.
Caldwell’s close association with Hegseth was emphasized in a leaked Signal chat regarding U.S. strikes on the Houthis, where Hegseth designated him as the Pentagon’s point of contact for the operation. This private discussion was revealed after National Security Advisor Mike Waltz inadvertently included The Atlantic editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg in the group.
The Defense Department is the most recent federal agency to declare the implementation of polygraphs to detect potential leakers, following similar actions by the Departments of Homeland Security and Justice. The DOD directive was issued shortly after President Donald Trump refuted a New York Times report suggesting that Department of Government Efficiency head Elon Musk would be briefed on “war plans” with China during a visit to the Pentagon.
Trump categorically denied the assertion, asserting that he would not disclose such plans “to anybody.”
Currently, there is no evidence connecting Dan Caldwell to the specific leak in question, and the specifics of the unauthorized information he may have revealed are still ambiguous, as noted by Fox.
In response to the Times report, Hegseth’s chief of staff, Kasper, has requested an investigation that he indicated would involve the use of polygraphs to examine “unauthorized disclosures” of national security information, as reported by Bloomberg.
Kasper further expressed his desire for the individuals responsible for the leaks to “be referred to the appropriate criminal law enforcement agency for prosecution.”
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem mentioned in a video shared on social media last month that she employed lie detectors to ascertain the identity of those leaking sensitive information to the media.
Her inquiry “identified two individuals leaking information from the Department of Homeland Security who have been disclosing details about our operations and endangering the lives of law enforcement personnel. We intend to prosecute these two individuals and ensure they are held accountable for their actions,” she stated.
“We will persist in our efforts to do everything possible to maintain the safety of America,” she concluded.
