'Trump furious about leaks': US orders polygraph test for top officials

US investigators conducted polygraph tests on approximately 50 Joint Staff members following leaks of sensitive information about dwindling advanced weapons stocks, according to media reports. The probe targeted leaks concerning the shortage of crucial munitions, including long-range missiles and Patriot interceptors, as cited by officials familiar with the matter. The tests aimed to ascertain if classified details about diminished munitions were disclosed to journalists.

Several dozen individuals had also been subjected to polygraph examinations earlier in the summer, including personnel from US Central Command and other combatant commands, according to CBS News. Polygraphs are typically utilized periodically to validate security clearances for individuals with access to top-secret information or special access programs. However, officials revealed that the number of people tested in this instance was significantly higher than usual.

The Joint Staff, responsible for coordinating operations, policy, and war plans with combatant commanders worldwide, comprises around 1,500 to 2,000 officers and officials, as reported by the New York Times. Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell emphasized that the department "does not comment on internal personnel or investigative matters" but takes all leaks of classified national security information very seriously and investigates accordingly.

No one reportedly failed the polygraph questions specifically designed to identify potential leaks. President Donald Trump expressed fury over the leaks, citing the small group of individuals with access to classified weapons information as a concern. Some senior officials, such as the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Dan Caine, were not subjected to the polygraph tests.

The scope of the testing emerged after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced in July that the Pentagon and Justice Department had formed a joint task force to identify and prosecute suspected leakers. Hegseth stressed the critical importance of providing the Department of Justice and other federal law enforcement partners with actionable information swiftly, as leaked information can risk lives.

The FBI did not participate in the latest round of polygraph tests, as the military conducted the investigation independently. Federal law and Pentagon regulations govern the use of polygraphs, requiring consent and procedural safeguards in specific investigative circumstances.