Fbi Using Polygraph Tests Amid Efforts To Plug Widespread Internal Leaks: Report

U.S. nationalist information agencies are utilizing enhanced strategies successful an effort to find whistleblowers and extremity leaks of delicate accusation to news outlets. Former intelligence officials reportedly say it has led to an situation of high-anxiety, arsenic galore fearfulness their jobs whitethorn beryllium connected nan line, arsenic good arsenic imaginable prosecution.

What caller strategies are authorities using?

Now, nether FBI Director Kash Patel’s orders, nan bureau is utilizing polygraph tests different known arsenic “lie detectors” to weed retired anyone it believes whitethorn beryllium leaking accusation detrimental to Trump management operations, arsenic first reported by The Washington Post connected Monday, April 28.

The caller employment of polygraph tests had antecedently gone unreported, but a spokesperson told nan Post, “The seriousness of nan circumstantial leaks successful mobility precipitated nan polygraphs, arsenic they progressive imaginable harm to information protocols astatine nan bureau.”

When asked to connection specifics aliases grow connected nan leaked accusation successful question, nan spokesperson declined further comment.

What other is nan management doing to extremity leaks?

The move follows Attorney General Pam Bondi’s caller ineligible directives advising nan Department of Justice to lawsuit journalists’ individual communications. The DOJ has besides widened nan criteria for imaginable ineligible action against leaks of not only classified information, but “privileged and different sensitive” worldly that nan Trump management deems is “designed to sow chaos and distrust” of nan government.

What are labor saying?

However, officials warn, nan broader scope of nan administration’s efforts could see accusation nan management sees arsenic discomfiting, aliases arsenic retired of statement pinch its policy.

A erstwhile FBI section agency caput told nan Post, “Morale’s successful nan toilet.” Other sources offered nan aforesaid sentiment to nan Post and galore said, moreover wrong nan Pentagon, subject leaders are echoing nan words of nan management complete fearfulness of being fired.

Officials opportunity things worsened aft nan firing of Gen. Timothy Haugh, who led nan National Security Agency and U.S. Cyber Command. His firing besides came successful nan aftermath of dozens of Department of Homeland Security cybersecurity agents’ layoffs and early retirements. Those wrong nan agency reportedly warned that their departures mean U.S. cybersecurity is now astatine consequence from Moscow, Beijing, North Korea and Iran-based cyber criminals. Haugh’s dismissal drew dense disapproval from Democratic lawmakers.

The Pentagon has besides faced forced departures recently, including respective of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s apical aides. Their departures followed reports that Hegseth was angered by leaks to nan news outlets that progressive “sensitive communications” pinch long-time Pentagon officials. 

Departures, firings and now polygraph tests person created “a civilization of fear,” according to 1 erstwhile official. Some officials wrong agencies are reportedly avoiding interaction pinch journalists complete interest for their jobs aliases prosecution.

Laura Loomer’s role

The move by immoderate U.S. intelligence agencies to employment “lie detector” tests follows a telephone from Trump-ally Laura Loomer for National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard to “polygraph each azygous intelligence employee” successful an effort to “clean house” of leakers, peculiarly those who served nether President Joe Biden.

“Why are we waiting for thing bad to happen?” Loomer wrote connected X.

Gabbard recently announced her agency provided criminal referrals connected to a number of leaks, and vowed practice pinch nan U.S. Department of Justice to thief find and complaint leakers. The DOJ has not yet elaborated connected nan imaginable prosecutions.

What do experts opportunity astir polygraphs?

Intelligence scholars, however, opportunity polygraphs are not genuinely “lie detectors.” Steven Aftergood, who specializes successful intelligence argumentation and served pinch nan Federation of American Scientists, told nan Post that dishonesty detectors trial much for accent alternatively than lies.

“They are accent detectors. If for immoderate logic nan questions being posed are upsetting to an individual, your beat mightiness accelerate, moreover if you’ve done thing wrong. So polygraphs do not measurement truth aliases falsity. They measurement stress,” he said.

Aftergood added that polygraphs are susceptible to mendacious readings, either affirmative aliases negative, citing an illustration of erstwhile CIA supplier Aldrich Ames passing a brace of polygraph tests contempt serving arsenic a spy for nan erstwhile Soviet Union. Ames is presently serving a life sentence.

What has nan Trump management said?

The Trump management has defended its erstwhile efforts against nan root of leaks, arguing it’s fighting to extremity what it deems nan “weaponization” of rule enforcement it said was pursued nether erstwhile President Biden.

President Donald Trump’s individual defense lawyer John Lauro, antecedently said, “We now spot nary governmental prosecutions, nary clone expansive assemblage proceedings, but alternatively a measurement of looking astatine nan Department of Justice successful position of restoration and ensuring nan norm of rule will beryllium carried retired going forward.”