Deputy Chief of Staff Darin Selnick has been removed from his post and placed on administrative leave amid a growing investigation into classified information leaks within the Department of Defense. His departure marks the second high-level exit from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s inner circle in just two days.
Selnick was escorted out of the Pentagon on April 15, just hours after senior advisor Dan Caldwell was also relieved of duties as part of the same probe. Both officials are longtime allies of Hegseth and have previously worked together on veterans’ policy initiatives.
The internal investigation, which has escalated rapidly, focuses on a series of unauthorized disclosures involving sensitive military operations. Leaked details reportedly include U.S. force movements near the Red Sea, shifts in intelligence-sharing with Ukraine, strategic discussions about the Panama Canal, and a classified visit to the Pentagon by tech entrepreneur Elon Musk.
The probe was launched following a directive issued in March by Hegseth’s chief of staff, authorizing polygraph testing to track down the source of the leaks. Officials have remained tight-lipped about the findings so far but confirmed that the inquiry is active and ongoing.
The fallout from the scandal has raised questions about the security protocols surrounding top-level Pentagon staff and the political loyalty of those in advisory roles. More dismissals could follow as the investigation deepens.