Pentagon polygraphs senior officers in hunt for weapons leak

The Pentagon has subjected several dozen of its most senior military officers to polygraph tests as part of an unusually broad investigation into leaks of classified information about America's advanced weapons stockpiles.

The examinations, conducted earlier this summer, were prompted by media reports that disclosed sensitive details about the pace at which the US was consuming some of its most sophisticated and finite munitions during the conflict with Iran. The disclosures raised public questions about the state of American military reserves during sustained operations.

Officials briefed on the inquiry said the scale of the polygraph operation was highly unusual, reflecting deep concern within the Defence Department over the sensitivity of the information that had reached the press. Those tested included personnel linked to US Central Command and other combatant commands, with roughly 50 members of the Joint Staff reported to have been questioned.

According to sources familiar with the matter, the questioning extended beyond the specific alleged disclosure to cover a range of national-security matters. Crucially, no official was reported to have failed the questions designed to establish whether they had leaked information to the media.

Investigators were reportedly concerned enough to consider whether an individual with access to the material could be acting on behalf of a foreign intelligence service, given the limited number of people who had access to some of the classified information. Three sources said President Donald Trump was furious about the disclosures.

The Pentagon has declined to comment on the identities of those examined or the details of the investigation. Chief spokesman Sean Parnell said the department does not discuss internal personnel or investigative matters but stressed that leaks of classified national-security information are treated with the utmost seriousness. "Securing classified information is critical to ensuring the security of the United States and of our troops deployed around the world," he said.

Not every senior military leader was tested. The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen Dan Caine, was not subjected to a polygraph, according to a senior Pentagon official.

The polygraph operation comes as Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has intensified efforts to identify and prosecute those responsible for unauthorised disclosures. In July, Hegseth announced the creation of a joint Pentagon-Justice Department task force to investigate suspected leaks of sensitive government information to the press.

With no reported failures on the leak-related questions, the broad search for answers has so far produced more uncertainty than a culprit. The investigation remains ongoing.