Pentagon review of classified information handling will be ‘a long-term effort’
Mike Brest
Video Embed
The Department of Defense has begun restricting access to classified information in light of a massive leak, though the effort is expected to take a while.
Hundreds of classified documents were released over a matter of months, and while a suspect was arrested last week, the news of the leak has prompted the department to review its policies and regulations regarding classified information.
SUSPECT FIRST LEAKED TEXT OF CLASSIFIED DOCS AROUND DECEMBER, AFFIDAVIT SAYS
“What I can say is that we are [going] through some of our distribution lists and who has access to certain information. That effort is going to be ongoing. It’s not just going to stop tomorrow, and it’s not going to stop after a week,” Pentagon deputy spokeswoman Sabrina Singh said on Monday. “This is going to be a long-term effort.”
She noted that “actions have already been taken” while also acknowledging the possibility that additional classified documents could still leak despite the arrest of Airman 1st Class Jack Teixeira, who was charged with unauthorized retention and transmission of national defense information and unauthorized removal and retention of classified documents or material.
Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin directed Ronald Moultrie, undersecretary of defense for intelligence and security, to lead the review process on Thursday, and said he “will also not hesitate to take any additional measures necessary to safeguard our nation’s secrets.”
He has 45 days to provide Austin with his initial findings and recommendations to improve their standing policies.
“We are also taking a close look at security protocols and procedures and assessing whether or not they need to be changed,” National Security Council coordinator John Kirby told reporters. “At the president’s direction, he has tasked his team to conduct a thorough, comprehensive review of departmental security programs, policies, and procedures. Similar work is also being done across the intelligence community to further examine security protocols and practices.”
Singh largely declined to answer questions about the leak, including choosing not to estimate how many people have had their access restricted.
“I don’t have a specific number for you at the moment,” she added when asked about how many documents they believed were leaked. “It’s something that we’re still reviewing. We’re still assessing. And when we have a better grasp of just the scope and scale, we’d be happy to update you, but that’s something that we’re continuing to assess.”
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
The secrets contained within the documents allowed the world to see into U.S. intelligence sources, methods, and conclusions that have the administration and Pentagon in damage control mode with allies.
Many of the documents pertained to the war in Ukraine, which the U.S. is heavily invested in. Some of them include U.S. intelligence on the Russian side regarding apparent fissures within Russian President Vladimir Putin’s circle, as well as bleak assessments for the Ukraine spring offensive that officials have been expressing optimism for in recent weeks.