Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has introduced a draft Pentagon plan that would require countless staffers—ranging from senior officers to civilian employees—to sign new non-disclosure agreements and face random lie detector tests. The measures are aimed at curbing what Hegseth’s team describes as persistent leaks and internal dissent.
Under the proposal, all individuals working in the Office of the Secretary of Defense and the Joint Staff would be prohibited from sharing nonpublic information without approval. Refusal to comply could trigger disciplinary or even criminal consequences. Simultaneously, the plan calls for unannounced polygraph exams for personnel across ranks, which would represent a sharp shift from current protocols.
While the idea is still under review and not finalized, it has already generated sharp reactions across the Pentagon—concerns that it could suppress genuine internal accountability and intimidate officers who disagree with policy decisions.