The administration of President Donald Trump has taken decisive action to actively seek out leaks, a campaign that has been wholeheartedly supported by Hegseth at the Pentagon.
Dan Caldwell, a prominent adviser to U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, was removed from the Pentagon on Tuesday following his identification in an investigation concerning leaks within the Department of Defense, as reported by a U.S. official to Reuters.
The official, who requested anonymity, stated that Caldwell was placed on administrative leave due to “an unauthorized disclosure.” This information has not been previously disclosed.
The official noted that “the investigation is still ongoing,” but did not elaborate on the specifics of the alleged disclosure, including whether it was directed towards a journalist or another party.
The administration of President Donald Trump has taken a strong stance against leaks, a campaign that Hegseth has actively supported at the Pentagon.
A memo dated March 21, authored by Hegseth’s chief of staff, Joe Kasper, called for an inquiry into “recent unauthorized disclosures of national security information related to sensitive communications.”
Kasper’s memo suggested the possibility of a polygraph examination, although it remains unclear if Caldwell underwent such a test.
While Caldwell may not be as widely recognized as other senior officials at the Pentagon, he has been instrumental as an adviser to Hegseth. His significance was highlighted in a leaked text conversation on Signal, which was revealed by The Atlantic last month.
In that exchange, Hegseth identified Caldwell as the most suitable staff contact for the National Security Council as it prepared for military actions against the Houthis in Yemen.
Caldwell has attracted attention in Washington for his past opinions, which critics have labeled as isolationist, while supporters argue that they aim to recalibrate America’s defense priorities.
A veteran of the Marine Corps who served in Iraq, Caldwell previously stated that the U.S. would have been better off if its troops had remained at home. “I think the Iraq war was a monstrous crime,” he expressed in an interview with the Financial Times in December 2024.
He expressed skepticism regarding U.S. military support for Ukraine and promoted the idea of reducing U.S. involvement in Europe.
The decision to place Caldwell on administrative leave is distinct from a series of dismissals that have occurred since Hegseth, a former Fox News host and combat veteran, assumed leadership at the Pentagon in January.
These dismissals of high-ranking officials have included the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the highest-ranking admiral in the Navy, the head of U.S. Cyber Command, and the leading military lawyers in the U.S. Reuters was the first to report last week on the termination of the U.S. military representative to the NATO Military Committee.
