Hegseth's top adviser sent on leave amid Pentagon leaks investigation - Reuters

One of the leading advisors to US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Dan Caldwell, was expelled from the Pentagon on Tuesday after being identified in an investigation into leaks at the US Department of Defense, Reuters reports, citing a US official, writes UNN.

Details

Caldwell was placed on administrative leave for "unauthorized disclosure," the official said.

"The investigation is ongoing," the official said, without elaborating on the nature of the alleged disclosure, including whether it was made to a journalist or someone else.

President Donald Trump's administration has been active in investigating leaks, and Hegseth in the Pentagon has enthusiastically embraced those efforts.

A March 21 memorandum signed by Hegseth's chief of staff, Joe Kasper, requested an investigation into "recent unauthorized disclosures of national security information, including classified communications."

Kasper's memorandum left open the possibility of a polygraph test, although it is unclear whether Caldwell was subjected to it.

While Caldwell is not as well-known as other senior Pentagon officials, he played an important role as an advisor to Hegseth. His importance was highlighted in a chain of messages leaked to Signal, revealed by The Atlantic last month. In it, Hegseth called Caldwell the best point of contact for the US National Security Council as he prepared to task strikes on the Houthis in Yemen.

What is known about Caldwell

Caldwell drew Washington's attention with his previous views, which critics called isolationist, but which supporters said were aimed at properly assessing America's defense priorities.

Caldwell, a Marine Corps veteran who served in Iraq, said that America would be better off if American troops simply stayed home. "I believe the war in Iraq was a terrible crime," Caldwell told the Financial Times in December 2024.

He was also skeptical of US military aid to Ukraine and advocated for reducing American troops in Europe, the publication writes.

The decision to place Caldwell on administrative leave, as stated, is not related to the wave of dismissals since Hegseth, a former Fox News host and combat veteran, took over the Pentagon in January. These senior leadership dismissals included the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Chief Admiral of the Navy, the Head of the US Cyber Command, and leading US military lawyers.