The US Department of Defense (Pentagon) has placed senior officials on mandatory administrative leave as part of an investigation into allegations of insider information leaks. According to information provided to the Associated Press (AP), Pentagon officials said Dan Caldwell, a senior advisor to Secretary Pete Hegseth, was suspended from his position as part of the investigation.
Escorted from the Pentagon by Security
Pentagon officials, who asked not to be identified, said Caldwell was escorted by security personnel as he left the department building. The officials said the mandatory administrative leave was directly related to the ongoing investigation into the unauthorized leak of information from inside the Pentagon.
Deputy Private Secretary is also on leave
On the other hand, another official who spoke to Fox News revealed that the investigation into the leak allegations was not limited to Caldwell. The same source reported that Darin Selnick, who served as Deputy Chief of Staff at the Pentagon, was also placed on administrative leave following similar allegations. This shows that the investigation covers a wide area at the upper echelons of the Pentagon.
Lie Detector Will Be Used
Hegseth’s Chief of Staff Joe Kasper announced on March 23 that a detailed investigation would be launched into “unauthorized disclosures” made by the agency recently. Kasper emphasized that the investigation into the disclosure of information in question would begin “immediately” and stated that a “lie detector” could be used during the investigation process in accordance with the law. He also issued a categorical warning that personnel found to have disclosed information beyond their authority would be subject to criminal prosecution. While these developments at the Pentagon have increased concerns about the security of sensitive information within the agency, the results of the investigation are eagerly awaited.
