Pentagon polygraphs dozens of US military staff over media leaks: Report

By Al Jazeera Staff. Published On 5 Sep 20265 Sep 2026.

Key points

• "Securing classified information is critical to ensuring the security of the United States and of our troops deployed around the world, " Parnell continued.
• US President Donald Trump has repeatedly pushed authorities to crack down on unauthorised disclosures.
• The internal tensions escalated further last month when the Defence Department fired the top editor and publisher of Stars and Stripes, an independent, government-funded military news publication.
• Staff members remarked the move was direct retaliation for stories detailing deteriorating conditions on board the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln.
• Despite the mounting friction, Trump has backed Hegseth, publicly praising his performance as "fantastic".

United States investigators have subjected regarding 50 members of the US military's Joint Staff to lie detector tests after a series of unauthorised media leaks, according to a report by The New York Times (NYT).

Notably, the inquiry focused on whether civilian and military personnel leaked classified details to reporters, particularly concerning dwindling US ammunition reserves, the newspaper documented on Friday.

Notably, the polygraph examinations took place last month after news outlets published a number of reports highlighting severe drops in key weapons supplies, including long-range missiles and Patriot air defence interceptors. US authorities had pushed back on these reports, insisting their weapons stockpiles were more than sufficient.

In an official note to the NYT, Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell declined to address internal administrative or investigative actions directly, but emphasised that the department takes leaks of national security information "extremely seriously and investigates accordingly".

Meanwhile, the Joint Staff, which consists of between 1, 500 and 2, 000 military and civilian staff, plays a key role in coordinating operational strategy, policy and war planning with combat commands globally.

Sources familiar with the inquiry informed the NYT that the aggressive push was designed not only to identify the individuals behind the disclosures, but additionally to deter potential future leakers.

As the top ranks of the US armed forces have never undergone widespread polygraph testing in modern history, legal and military experts say the scale of the investigation is unprecedented.

For context, the move follows widespread reporting on how active military operations involving Iran have severely strained US weapon reserves, causing internal debates over the broader direction of the conflict.

US President Donald Trump has repeatedly pushed authorities to crack down on unauthorised disclosures. Along with calling for strict enforcement, Trump has publicly branded critical media coverage regarding munition shortages and the administration's handling of the conflict in Iran as "treasonous".

In practice, the persistent leaks have deepened an atmosphere of deep distrust inside the Pentagon. It current and former authorities attribute to the management style of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

Operating alongside a tight circle of close aides, Hegseth has ousted or blocked the promotions of at least 80 generals, admirals and senior authorities during his tenure, the report stated.

Notably, the Pentagon has introduced multiple leak probes in response to media coverage of Hegseth's leadership, even as he faced criticism for sharing sensitive operational details in a Signal group chat.

Notably, the internal tensions escalated further last month when the Defence Department fired the top editor and publisher of Stars and Stripes, an independent, government-funded military news publication.

For now, pentagon polygraphs dozens of US military staff over media leaks: Report remains the part of the story worth watching, and further updates are likely as more details are confirmed.