Trump administration crackdown on leaks produces climate of fear in national security agencies

Trump administration crackdown on leaks produces climate of fear in national security agencies

The latest crackdown on leaks by the Trump administration in the US has generated a climate of fear and intimidation throughout national security agencies, as top officials accelerate the use of polygraph tests and threats of prosecution against both current and former government workers, the Washington Post reported.

On the order of FBI Director Kash Patel, the agency has recently started giving polygraph examinations to the agents as part of an attempt to determine the sources of information leaks. The agency's decision was based on concerns regarding "potential damage to security protocols," but the details remain unknown. Polygraphs — commonly known as "lie detector" examinations — are not routinely employed during standard leak hunts at the agency and their widespread use represents a major change.

US Attorney General Pam Bondi has further strengthened the crackdown by introducing new legal guidelines that allow the US Department of Justice to subpoena journalists' personal communications and expand the scope of criminal prosecutions to encompass leaks of not only classified documents but also "privileged and other sensitive" information. Critics claim that such a broad definition may bring into focus disclosures that merely embarrass the administration or contradict its narratives.

A culture of fear and silence

Inside agencies like the FBI, the Pentagon, and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), officials report a palpable sense of dread. Speaking anonymously, a former FBI field office head described morale as being "in the toilet," with staffers fearful of retaliation for perceived disloyalty. Even contractors holding security clearances are reportedly exercising extreme caution, concerned that any contact with journalists could be used against them in polygraph examinations.

The Pentagon, led by beleaguered US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, has also instituted polygraph testing to flush out suspected leakers. Senior department officials have been given lie detector tests at Hegseth's behest, according to a recent report from the Wall Street Journal. In addition, the abrupt removals of top staff members for leaking "sensitive communications" have shaken the defence establishment even further.

The recent dismissals of Gen. Timothy Haugh, former director of the National Security Agency and the US Cyber Command, without official explanation, have heightened these concerns. Far-right agitator Laura Loomer, who had a meeting with President Trump at the White House, took credit for pressing Haugh's removal for supposed "disloyalty." Democratic congressmen expressed alarm, with Rep. Chrissy Houlahan (D-Pennsylvania) declaring the removal "astounding" amid increasing threats from foreign actors.

Polygraphs as political weapons

Polygraph tests, though a routine component of regular security clearance renewals, are being used as instruments to exact loyalty instead of security, experts say. Steven Aftergood, a veteran intelligence policy analyst, underscored that polygraphs are "stress detectors," not good indicators of honesty. Polygraphs have throughout history been failed by notorious spies such as Aldrich Ames who were fired but cleared on the test.

The US Department of Homeland Security has also increased the use of polygraphs, focusing on employees suspected of revealing information on immigration operations. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) employees are also said to have been tested similarly, reports CNN.

Veteran intelligence officials emphasize that whereas previous administrations, including Obama's, aggressively pursued leak investigations, the new situation is different. A former senior intelligence lawyer says the Trump administration is not only going after leaks of classified information but also any bad or embarrassing revelations — a step perceived as both legally questionable and politically charged.

Independence under threat

The effect on the culture of agency is deep. At the ODNI, numerous staffers have gone on early retirement or buyout, fearful of working under the administration's ever more authoritarian culture. Some previous officials speak of a Soviet-type culture in which employees are invited to report other employees for taking part in diversity and inclusion exercises.

"There is absolutely a culture of fear," added a former ODNI official. "No one feels safe expressing an opinion that could be misinterpreted as being contrary to the secretary or the president."

Even top military commanders are modifying their vocabulary, allegedly stressing patriotism and loyalty at the expense of candour to prevent political repercussions. The Pentagon, which was once a stronghold of autonomous strategic thinking, is now struggling with a chilling effect that could restrict honest advice in an era of complicated global threats.

Ex-CIA Director John Ratcliffe's vow to loosen the intelligence community's risk-averse culture has blown back in officials' faces, officials caution. "By creating this climate of fear, they're actually making people more risk-averse," said one former senior intelligence official. Steven Aftergood encapsulated matters bluntly: "The agency leaders are thin-skinned and afraid of negative media coverage. Rather than showing strength, they are showing political weakness.

As the Trump administration moves more aggressively to muffle internal criticism, veterans of national security issues caution that it is in weakening independence within the intelligence community that the nation actually becomes more vulnerable, not less.