The Pentagon reportedly subjected approximately 50 military officers and civilian employees on the US Joint Staff to polygraph tests in August as part of an internal investigation into suspected leaks of classified information to journalists during the war with Iran.
The investigation reportedly focused on media disclosures concerning the state of US ammunition and weapons stocks, particularly reports that the conflict had depleted supplies of long-range missiles and Patriot air-defence interceptors. Investigators sought to determine whether Joint Staff personnel had provided classified information to members of the media and identify the sources of the disclosures, as per media reports.
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The Joint Staff, which includes roughly 1,500 to 2,000 personnel, assists senior military leadership with operations, policy and war planning. The reported testing involved both uniformed officers and civilian employees, while senior leadership, including Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine, was reportedly not subjected to the tests.
The unusually broad use of polygraph examinations has drawn attention from former military officials, with retired Rear Adm. Donald J. Guter describing the reported scale and seniority of the testing as unprecedented in his experience. “I've never seen polygraphs employed this broadly or at this seniority level,” said Guter.
Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell declined to comment specifically on the investigation but said the Defense Department takes unauthorized disclosures of classified national-security information extremely seriously.
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has not held a press briefing on the Iran war since May 5 and has increasingly restricted media access at the Pentagon.
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The reported crackdown comes amid heightened tensions between the Pentagon and the media, as well as pressure from President Donald Trump, who has rejected reports of serious U.S. ammunition shortages and criticized disclosures about weapons availability during the Iran conflict.
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