Articles about the Holocaust, September 11, cancer awareness, sexual assault and suicide prevention are among the tens of thousands either removed or flagged for removal from Pentagon websites as the department has scrambled to comply with Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth’s order to scrub “diversity” content from all its platforms.
The Department of Defense is conducting an investigation into “recent unauthorized disclosures of national security information” and intends to incorporate polygraph tests as part of this inquiry, as stated in a memo released on the department’s website on Friday.
DOD Chief of Staff Joe Kasper noted in the memo that “the use of polygraphs during this investigation will comply with relevant laws and policies.” He added that the investigation would begin immediately and conclude with a report to the Secretary of Defense.
Kasper also mentioned that any information identifying individuals responsible for unauthorized disclosures would be forwarded for criminal prosecution.
This memo follows President Donald Trump’s response to a New York Times article suggesting that Elon Musk, head of DOGE, would receive briefings on U.S. military strategies regarding a potential conflict with China during his visit to the Pentagon on Friday. Trump asserted that he would not share such plans “with anyone.” Pentagon officials also strongly refuted the claims made in the report on social media. Musk did, however, meet with Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth for over an hour on the same day.
The Defense Department joins other government agencies in announcing the use of polygraph tests for employees. Earlier this month, Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem stated that her department would continue this practice, following reports that she had mandated polygraphs to include questions about media leaks. She expressed her belief that there are leakers within the government who should “be held accountable.”
“We have identified two individuals at the Department of Homeland Security who have leaked information regarding our operations, thereby endangering law enforcement lives. We intend to prosecute these individuals and hold them accountable for their actions,” Noem stated in a video on X earlier this month.
On Friday, the Department of Justice also announced its own investigation into “the selective leak of inaccurate, yet classified” information concerning the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua.