Pentagon ends lie detector sweep as Hegseth faces leak probe

The Trump administration quietly scrapped a sweeping lie detector project inside the Pentagon this spring just weeks after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth launched it to root out leaks and just as he was facing one himself According to The Washington Post the Pentagon began administering polygraph tests to top military officers staffers and even Trump allies on a hunt for national shield leaks The plan stemmed from a memo by Hegseth s then chief of staff Joe Kasper who requested every accomplishable lead pursued Among those tested Adm Christopher Grady vice chair of the Joint Chiefs and Army Lt Gen Douglas Sims But the campaign was short-lived After one senior adviser Patrick Weaver complained to the White House that he was unfairly targeted the testing was shut down Within days the order came down no more polygraphs No final summary No answers Meanwhile Hegseth himself is at the center of a growing leak disgrace now known as Signalgate The Pentagon s inspector general is scrutinizing whether he shared classified details about U S airstrikes in private Signal chats including one with his wife brother and personal lawyer and another accidentally with a news editor The texts reportedly included information pulled directly from a SECRET NOFORN email Multiple senior aides have resigned as a consequence All of it underscores the Trump administration s chaotic approach to secrecy deploying polygraphs in one office while classified war plans allegedly circulated in group texts like brunch updates And it s not just the Pentagon Across the federal governing body agencies have embraced polygraph testing to investigate internal leaks various tied to embarrassing political fallout not national protection risks Experts warn the tactic chills dissent and weaponizes fear Critics say the real issue isn t who s leaking it s who s protecting the leakers at the top Read more about this topic Pete Hegseth s paranoia is undermining the Pentagon Signals of distress Pete Hegseth s Pentagon is a mess of his own making Pentagon launches probe into Signalgate after Trump White House declares matter closed The post Pentagon ends lie detector sweep as Hegseth faces leak probe appeared first on Salon com