A top advisor to the U.S. Secretary of Defense, Dan Caldwell, was escorted out of the Pentagon on Tuesday and placed on administrative leave, a Defense Department official confirmed.
The action follows an initial report by Reuters stating Caldwell was placed on leave due to an “unauthorized disclosure” of information. This development occurred as the Pentagon conducted a wider investigation into recent leaks of classified material.
A Defense Department official, speaking to Fox News Digital, verified the accuracy of the Reuters report but refrained from commenting further, citing the sensitivity of the ongoing investigation.
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Mr. Caldwell is known for his background with organizations advocating for foreign policy restraint, including the think tank Defense Priorities and Concerned Veterans for America – the latter group formerly led by Pete Hegseth. Identified as a foreign policy realist, Caldwell has previously argued for a significant reduction of the U.S. military footprint in Europe and the withdrawal of forces from Iraq and Syria.
Last month, the Pentagon formally announced a probe into “recent unauthorized disclosures of national security information.”
In a memo regarding the investigation, DoD Chief of Staff Joe Kasper indicated that polygraph examinations might be employed as part of the process, consistent with applicable laws and policies. Kasper stated the investigation would “commence immediately and culminate in a report to the Secretary of Defense.”
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The memo also warned that any individual identified as responsible for an unauthorized disclosure would be referred for potential criminal prosecution.
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