Three high-ranking officials of the U
S. Department of Defense have been dismissed in connection with the leakage of classified information that occurred at the Pentagon, reports Politico citing sources close to the investigation. The incident has dealt a serious blow to the American defense establishment, prompting widespread discussion and concern regarding security and oversight of confidential information within the Ministry of Defense. According to journalists, the individuals involved are three officials whose names are already known: Deputy Chief of Staff to the Secretary of Defense Daron Selnik, Chief of Staff to Deputy Secretary of Defense Steven Feinberg, and Senior Advisor to Chief Defense Counsel Dan Coldwell. All of them were involved in processing and managing secret information related to military operations and strategic plans. It is worth noting that all three of these officials, as well as Defense Secretary P. Gagsett’s Chief of Staff, have been placed on extended leave and assigned to leave while investigators continue to determine the circumstances of the data leak and assess their level of responsibility. Additionally, sources report that Gagsett is expected to soon leave his position, but his replacement has already been found — according to official sources, it will be another individual working within the Department of Defense system. Meanwhile, a senior administration official stated that P. Gagsett’s Chief of Staff, John Casper, is receiving a new assignment within the Defense Department, and temporarily other officials will perform his roles and functions. This involves internal restructuring and personnel changes aimed at strengthening security measures and preventing further leaks of confidential information. A few days after the incident, the press published a large amount of information regarding the start of an internal investigation initiated by Casper himself back in March. He was the first to thoroughly and carefully scrutinize the situation concerning the data leak, including details of military strategies and plans, as well as operational information related to critical areas such as U.S. ground and naval forces, their deployments in strategically significant regions. Specifically, the detailed investigation concerns leaked information about the movement of U.S. military forces in the Panama Canal, changes in the number of aircraft carriers in the Red Sea, the visit of the popular entrepreneur and billionaire Elon Musk to the Pentagon, and the suspension of intelligence gathering on the situation in Ukraine, which caused widespread outrage in military and political circles. The background of this scandal traces back to April, when Reuters reported that one of Defense Secretary John Gagsett’s key advisors, Dan Coldwell, had been removed from his role at the Pentagon. According to official information, the reason was suspicion of unauthorized disclosure of confidential data related to state secrets and U.S. military operations. The investigation is ongoing, and the scale of security issues within the system has been revealed, with suspicions of leaks at high levels. This incident has cast doubt on the ability of U.S. defense structures to control and protect the most sensitive classified information crucial to the nation’s security. Experts are already calling for a deep reform of the data security system, increased responsibility, and tighter controls over access to confidential information. Overall, the leakage at the Pentagon has triggered an unexpected crisis within the ministry’s security management system. Personnel changes and reshuffles are beginning to be implemented with the aim of enhancing security and preventing further leaks, but the integrity of secret information remains a serious concern, and its exposure poses a significant challenge for U.S. defense leadership.