An official fired by the Pentagon for leaking information has been hired by US intelligence
A former top adviser to US War Secretary Pete Hegseth has been hired by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence in Washington after being removed from his Pentagon post following a leak investigation, two officials told Reuters.
Reuters first reported last April that Dan Caldwell, the adviser in question, was escorted out of the Pentagon and placed on administrative leave because of “an unauthorized disclosure” of information, according to a US official.
The incident was part of a series of leak scandals that have rocked the Pentagon under Pete Hegseth, a former conservative Fox News journalist. The White House stepped in last July to stop the polygraph tests ordered by Hegseth in an attempt to stem leaks that cast an unfavorable light on his leadership.
After his removal from office, Caldwell issued a joint statement with two other Pentagon officials questioning the investigation and saying, “Unnamed Pentagon officials defamed our character with baseless attacks right as we were leaving.”
According to Reuters, Caldwell was hired by ODNI after he was cleared of the charges.
The New York Times reported Monday that his new role at ODNI will be as an adviser to senior officials responsible for coordinating the work of several federal intelligence agencies and writing the daily briefing for President Donald Trump.
“Every person hired by ODNI goes through a rigorous background check, including background checks and personal interviews, conducted by a trained official to ensure that the person is trustworthy and does not pose a threat to national security,” the Office said in a statement.
