Pentagon and Justice Department Create a Task Force to Prosecute Media Leaks

On July 13, 2026, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced a joint Defense Department and Justice Department task force to identify and prosecute unauthorized disclosures of sensitive information to the news media. Under the directive, the Pentagon's Office of General Counsel can request records and support from any Defense Department component regarding media-leak investigations, and components must provide a full response within two days.

The task force formalizes an aggressive posture toward press leaks. It follows the Justice Department's rare subpoenas to New York Times reporters over their reporting on security features of the Qatari-donated presidential aircraft. Press-freedom advocates warn that routing leak investigations through a dedicated interagency body can chill newsgathering and expand internal surveillance of officials who communicate with journalists, while the administration frames the effort as protecting national security.

The task force has been established. No prosecutions had been announced as of reporting.