Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced on July 13, 2026, the formation of a joint task force between the Department of War and the Department of Justice to identify, investigate, and prosecute individuals who leak sensitive national defense information to the media or others.
The action was driven by repeated unauthorized disclosures that have compromised U.S. military operations and endangered service members. Key incidents prompting stronger measures include the March 2025 Signal group chat leaks, where high level national security discussions about strikes on Houthi targets were accidentally exposed to a journalist, revealing operational details and attack plans.
Additional pressure came from leaks surrounding the April 2026 downed F-15E fighter jet incident over Iran, where information about the missing pilot was released to media outlets before Iranian forces were aware, putting rescue efforts at risk and leading to public criticism from President Trump.
Hegseth stated that leaking sensitive national defense information betrays American warriors and directly places them in danger. The joint task force gives the Department of War’s Office of General Counsel new authority to demand records from Pentagon components within 48 hours to support leak investigations.
This initiative builds on earlier Pentagon efforts in 2025 to combat leaks through internal reviews and polygraph testing. As of July 14, 2026, no specific new cases were named in the announcement, but officials indicated the task force will target both recent and ongoing leaks that harm national security. The move reflects the administration’s determination to stop internal breaches that have repeatedly damaged operational security and intelligence advantages.
Full statement: “To leak sensitive national defense information is to betray our warriors and put them in danger. That’s why the Department of Wat and The Justice Department have created a joint task force to IDENTIFY AND PROSECUTE LEAKERS.”
The task force is expected to increase prosecutions of leakers and deter future unauthorized releases of classified defense material. Further updates on leadership and early actions are anticipated in the coming days
Video CR: U.S. Department of War
Watch Secretary Pete Hegseth announce the new task force targeting national defense information leaks:
