About 50 personnel from the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the U.S. Armed Forces underwent mandatory polygraph testing due to leaks of classified information to the media "about the war with Iran and the depletion of ammunition stocks among American military forces," The New York Times (NYT) reported on Saturday, September 5. "The polygraph test was conducted in August following a barrage of news reports about the depletion of critical ammunition stocks, including long-range missiles and missiles for the Patriot air defense system," the publication clarifies. According to NYT, the aim of such a "show of force" by U.S. authorities was "apparently not only to identify those who may have shared information but also to intimidate those who might do so in the future." The publication describes this testing as an "unprecedented scale of investigation," affecting "officers and civilian employees" of the staff. In U.S. history, mass polygraph testing among senior military officials has not been conducted before. The Joint Staff of the U.S. Armed Forces employs between 1,500 and 2,000 officers and officials who coordinate operations, policies, and plans for military actions worldwide, the newspaper specifies. ## ## NYT: Trump Demanded Active Search for Sources, "Paranoia" Fueled by Hegset As The New York Times further reports, former U.S. President Donald Trump pressured officials in his administration, demanding an active search for those leaking information. He called the media coverage criticizing U.S. actions in the war in Iran and the ammunition shortage "treason." "The leaks of information heightened an atmosphere of deep mistrust and paranoia within the Pentagon, which, according to current and former officials, was fueled by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegset," notes NYT, reminding that the current Secretary of Defense has removed or blocked promotions of "at least 80 generals, admirals, and other officials" during his tenure. ## ## Media: Committee Head Not Subjected to Testing Following The New York Times, American television channel CBS News also reported on the widespread use of lie detectors, adding that the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Dan Kane, was not subjected to testing. Both media outlets cited unnamed officials. In response to a question from AFP, Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell declined to comment on "internal personnel or investigative matters" but stated that the department "takes all leaks of classified information related to national security extremely seriously and conducts appropriate investigations."
