In an effort to identify the source of unauthorized disclosures regarding depleted American munitions, US investigators administered polygraph tests to 50 military officers and civilian officials in August. The probe focused on personnel within the Joint Staff, the group of senior military leaders who advise the president. According to reports, the investigation was prompted by concerns over leaks detailing shortages of Patriot interceptors and long-range missiles during the ongoing war with Iran.
Multiple US media outlets confirmed that the military utilized internal investigators for the sweep rather than the FBI. While the investigation targeted specific personnel, it did not include all senior leaders; notably, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Dan Caine, was excluded from the testing process. According to CBS News, no officials failed the polygraph questions, which were designed to determine if information had been leaked to journalists regarding critical ammunition shortages.
Beyond the immediate concern of the leaks, investigators were reportedly wary of the possibility that a government official could be operating as a foreign spy, given that access to the specific munitions data is highly restricted. Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell stated that the agency does not comment on internal personnel or investigative matters, but emphasized that the Pentagon takes classified leaks extremely seriously and conducts investigations accordingly.
President Donald Trump has expressed intense frustration regarding the disclosures, labeling them as "treasonous statements" and "fake news." He warned that those responsible would be "hunted down" and face severe prison sentences, while simultaneously denying the reports of strategic shortages and insisting that the military maintains "massive amounts" of weaponry. The polygraph sweep followed other unauthorized disclosures, including a leaked portion of the Secretary of Defense Orders Book. That document revealed that six four-star leaders had formally expressed dissent regarding the extension of the war against Iran, warning that the conflict is "unsustainable" and is eroding global military readiness. Parnell condemned the leak of the orders book as a "crime" and a "betrayal of the force," adding that much of the associated reporting was inaccurate.
