An advisor to Defense Secretary Pete Hegses was taken out of the Pentagon on Tuesday and has been placed on administrative leave while investigations into leaks of departmental information are underway.
Dan Caldwell, a senior advisor to Hegses, was put on leave after being pinpointed in an ongoing investigation concerning the Department of Defense leak, as reported by a defense official to Hill.
It remains uncertain whether Caldwell was responsible for sharing the information with a reporter or someone else.
Last month, the Pentagon initiated an investigation into “recent unauthorized disclosure of national security information” and noted that polygraphs would be utilized in the investigation process.
“This investigation will begin shortly and will culminate with a report to the Secretary of Defense,” stated Joe Casper, Chief of Staff at Hegses. Notes from March 21. “The report will include a thorough account of unauthorized disclosures within the Department of Defense along with suggestions for enhancing such efforts.”
The Trump administration has also been attempting to address leaks of information, even beyond the Department of Defense.
Caldwell, a public policy advisor connected to a key defense think tank focusing on foreign policy, was cited as the primary contact by Hegses in a group chat regarding impending strikes against Yemen’s Houthi rebels, as disclosed by leading editors last month.
Prior to his role at the Pentagon, Caldwell served as the executive director for a registered American veterans group overseen by Hegses.
A Marine veteran who was deployed in Iraq, Caldwell has faced criticism from certain conservatives for his stance that the U.S. should lessen its military engagement in specific areas of Europe and the Middle East.
“I believe that our quest for superiority has ultimately weakened us as a nation,” Caldwell remarked late last year.
“I was aiming to confront foreign dilemmas like the prolonged Iraq War and extended involvement in Afghanistan, trying to alter one of the most fragmented and tribal societies in the world.” According to the Financial Times, released in December 2024.
Reuters initially reported that Caldwell is currently on leave.
Contributions to this report were made by Ellen Mitchell.
