Leak Investigation Leads to Leave for Two Senior Pentagon Officials
The investigation is looking into various disclosures, among them Elon Musk's trip to the Pentagon.
TroibNews 
Two high-ranking political appointees at the Pentagon were placed on administrative leave on Tuesday following an investigation into potential leaks of sensitive information, as reported by three defense officials.
Dan Caldwell, a senior adviser to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, was removed from the Pentagon by security personnel and had his access to the building suspended while the investigation continues, according to two of the officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity due to the ongoing nature of the probe.
Darin Selnick, the Pentagon’s deputy chief of staff, was also suspended as part of the same investigation and was escorted out of the building, according to one official.
The investigation is looking into leaks that include military operational plans related to the Panama Canal, the deployment of a second aircraft carrier to the Red Sea, Elon Musk’s contentious visit to the Pentagon, and a decision to halt intelligence collection for Ukraine, the other official revealed.
Initially reported by Reuters, Caldwell's removal was highlighted, while Selnick's suspension and the specific nature of the leaks had not been disclosed before.
These suspensions coincide with the Trump administration's efforts to identify and eliminate leaks within the Defense Department. A memo from March, signed by Hegseth’s chief of staff, directed the Pentagon’s director for defense intelligence to investigate unauthorized disclosures and authorized the use of polygraphs.
The Defense Department has not provided a comment in response to inquiries.
Caldwell is a Marine Corps veteran of the Iraq War who previously worked at the right-leaning Defense Priorities think tank and was instrumental in advising the Pentagon on matters concerning Ukraine.
Hegseth’s name surfaced in a well-known Signal chat that inadvertently included a journalist, where he designated Caldwell as the main liaison for coordinating U.S. military operations in Yemen.
Earlier this year, Selnick also undertook responsibilities akin to the under secretary of Defense for personnel and readiness. He held positions in the White House and the Department of Veterans Affairs during the Trump administration and is a former senior adviser to Concerned Veterans for America, an organization formerly led by Hegseth.
Both Caldwell and Selnick have not yet responded to requests for comments.
Anna Muller for TROIB News
Dan Caldwell, a senior adviser to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, was removed from the Pentagon by security personnel and had his access to the building suspended while the investigation continues, according to two of the officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity due to the ongoing nature of the probe.
Darin Selnick, the Pentagon’s deputy chief of staff, was also suspended as part of the same investigation and was escorted out of the building, according to one official.
The investigation is looking into leaks that include military operational plans related to the Panama Canal, the deployment of a second aircraft carrier to the Red Sea, Elon Musk’s contentious visit to the Pentagon, and a decision to halt intelligence collection for Ukraine, the other official revealed.
Initially reported by Reuters, Caldwell's removal was highlighted, while Selnick's suspension and the specific nature of the leaks had not been disclosed before.
These suspensions coincide with the Trump administration's efforts to identify and eliminate leaks within the Defense Department. A memo from March, signed by Hegseth’s chief of staff, directed the Pentagon’s director for defense intelligence to investigate unauthorized disclosures and authorized the use of polygraphs.
The Defense Department has not provided a comment in response to inquiries.
Caldwell is a Marine Corps veteran of the Iraq War who previously worked at the right-leaning Defense Priorities think tank and was instrumental in advising the Pentagon on matters concerning Ukraine.
Hegseth’s name surfaced in a well-known Signal chat that inadvertently included a journalist, where he designated Caldwell as the main liaison for coordinating U.S. military operations in Yemen.
Earlier this year, Selnick also undertook responsibilities akin to the under secretary of Defense for personnel and readiness. He held positions in the White House and the Department of Veterans Affairs during the Trump administration and is a former senior adviser to Concerned Veterans for America, an organization formerly led by Hegseth.
Both Caldwell and Selnick have not yet responded to requests for comments.
Anna Muller for TROIB News
