Trump pursues leaks as Pentagon puts about 50 senior personnel through lie-detector tests

About 50 senior military and civilian personnel at the Pentagon have reportedly been subjected to polygraph tests as the Trump administration investigates suspected leaks of classified information.

The inquiry began after reports emerged about US ammunition stocks following attacks on Iran. According to the New York Times report cited by Hürriyet, officials were asked whether they had given classified information to journalists and whether they had leaked details about declining supplies.

The tests reportedly took place in August and focused particularly on stocks of long-range missiles and interceptors used by Patriot air-defence systems. The US Joint Chiefs of Staff includes roughly 1,500 to 2,000 military and civilian personnel who coordinate operations, policies and war plans with combatant commands around the world.

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Protecting the security of classified information is vital to ensuring the safety of the United States and our service members serving around the world

Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell did not comment on the investigation's specifics. He said the department does not comment on internal personnel matters or investigative subjects, but takes the leaking of classified national security information extremely seriously. "Protecting the security of classified information is vital to ensuring the safety of the United States and our service members serving around the world," he said.

The scope of the testing has been described as unusual for the US military. Retired Navy general counsel Rear Admiral Donald J. Guter said, "I have never seen polygraphs used this broadly and at this seniority level. In my experience, this is unprecedented."

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I have never seen polygraphs used this broadly and at this seniority level. In my experience, this is unprecedented.