Rep. Jason Crow, a senior member of the House Armed Services and Intelligence Committees, claims that Congress has not been briefed on an investigation led by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth into leaked classified information about US munitions stockpiles. According to Crow, the probe is "part of his effort to create fear" in the military, which he says Hegseth has fostered through actions such as pushing out journalists and media outlets. Under Hegseth's leadership, more than 80 generals and admirals have been targeted for potential leaks, with polygraph tests administered to a large group of top military personnel. Crow also notes that the number of women being promoted in the military has reached a 25-year low under Hegseth's tenure.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-07,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
President Donald Trump was furious about leaked information about the US military's munitions stockpiles, and as a result, the Pentagon subjected approximately 50 members of the Joint Staff to polygraph tests in August. The tests were conducted after news reports detailed how the conflict with Iran had strained US supplies of critical munitions, including long-range missiles and Patriot air-defense interceptors.
The investigation was part of a broader effort by the Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and the Justice Department to identify and prosecute people suspected of leaking sensitive government information to the press. No one failed the polygraph test questions intended to pinpoint the leaker, according to multiple sources, including CBS News.
This move has been seen as a show of force aimed at not just ferreting out anyone who may have shared information but also intimidating others who might do so in the future. The Joint Staff is responsible for coordinating operations, policy, and war plans with combatant commanders around the world, with between 1500 to 2000 officers and officials working there.
It's worth noting that polygraph tests are not uncommon in the US government, especially for high-level security clearance holders who could be subject to testing every five to seven years. However, the scale of this investigation is unusual, with multiple sources suggesting it was a response to Trump's personal frustration over the leaked information.
Written for “Pentagon Polygraph Crackdown” on 2026-09-07,
grounded in this article and the 21 other(s) covering the same event.
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Leaning score -0.65 for article 5950 (high confidence, 1 verified quote) · logged 2026-09-07
Democratic Rep. Jason Crow of Colorado said Sunday that Congress has not been briefed on an alleged
spearheaded by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and Crow called the probe "part of his effort to create fear and to clamp down on information coming out of the Pentagon.
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Crow → say → Pentagon
"Crow, who is a senior member of both the House Armed Services Committee and House Intelligence Committee,
" that he and his fellow lawmakers "haven't received any information" about the sweeping probe into how the source of highly sensitive classified details about the nation's stockpiles of sophisticated weapons made their way to the media.
asserted
source → receive → media
Instead, the Colorado Democrat said that members of Congress have learned about the investigation through "public reports."
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members → say → reports
Last week, officials briefed on the probe told CBS News that some of the highest-ranking U.S. military personnel were forced to undergo polygraph tests after President Trump became infuriated by the leaks.
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Trump → brief → leaks
Although polygraph tests can be routine top military figures, conducting them on such a large group of people is rare.
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conducting → conduct → people
"Certainly, stopping leaks and protecting classified information is really important, and I would always support that," said Crow.
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Crow → stop → that
"The problem is the broader context that Pete Hegseth has created here."
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Hegseth → create → that
Hegseth has
of more than 80 generals and admirals since assuming his role at the start of the current Trump administration, equating to the top 10% of the military's chain of command
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Hegseth → of → command
, said Crow.
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Crow → say → ?
Further, he added, the number of women up for promotions in the military has also reached a 25-year low under Hegseth's leadership.
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number → add → leadership
"And he's created an environment of fear.
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he → create → fear
He's pushed out journalists.
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He → push → journalists
He's pushed out media," Crow added.
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Crow → push → media
He suggested Hegseth's decision to withhold information about the leak investigation from Congress follows a "trend" within the Trump administration "of them not wanting anybody, including members of Congress, to understand what's going on."
uncertain
what → suggest → Congress
Officials told CBS News that Hegseth's investigation didn't subject all senior military leaders to polygraph testing, and that the tests included questions meant to determine who leaked information to the media about the U.S. munitions stockpile, which no one failed.
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one → tell → which
The probe itself was prompted by
covering the rapid depletion of some of the country's most advanced munitions several weeks into the Iran war, stirring widespread concerns about its readiness for any potential conflict ahead.
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probe → prompt → conflict
Asked about the state of the reported munitions shortages now, Crow said: "They don't want people to know.
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people → ask → shortages
They don't want people to know what's actually happening."
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what → want → ?
