White House Suspends Pentagon Polygraph Leak Hunt Amid Adviser Complaint

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth initiated polygraph testing within his office to identify leaks to the media, targeting members of the Joint Service Interagency Advisory Group and senior military officials. These tests were conducted with Hegseth's approval and guidance from his private attorney and military aide, Tim Parlatore. However, after Patrick Weaver, a senior adviser and Trump loyalist with ties to Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, raised concerns about being subjected to such tests, the White House intervened to halt the polygraph program. The White House intervention came through a phone call from an individual close to the administration, effectively stopping further testing despite several tests already being conducted, including one with inconclusive results on Col. Ricky Buria. The suspension of polygraph tests occurred amid internal turmoil within Hegseth's team, marked by dismissals and conflicts with other agencies. Additionally, Hegseth canceled the planned promotion of General Douglas Sims to four-star general, a move that drew criticism from senior military leaders who viewed Sims as apolitical and deserving of the advancement.