Third Pentagon Official Placed on Leave Amidst Leak Investigation

Pentagon Leak Investigation

• 📌 A third top Defense Department official, Colin Carroll, has been placed on administrative leave pending an investigation into potential information leaks.
• ⚡ Carroll, the chief of staff to the deputy secretary of defense, was escorted from the Pentagon on Wednesday.
• ⚠️ This follows similar actions earlier in the week against two other senior officials: Dan Caldwell, a senior adviser to the defense secretary, and the Pentagon's deputy chief of staff.

Inner Circle and Connections

• 🎯 The three officials are noted to be close to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's inner circle.
• 🤝 Caldwell and Darren Selnic (deputy chief of staff) reportedly have known Hegseth for years, stemming from their work at Concerned Veterans for America, an organization Hegseth previously led.

Scope of Investigation

• 🔍 The investigation, ordered by Hegseth's chief of staff in late March, aims to uncover a complete record of unauthorized disclosures.
• 📝 The memo authorizing the investigation suggested the use of lie detector tests if necessary.
• 📰 This investigation is reportedly not limited to a single news story, such as a New York Times report, but encompasses multiple other stories.
• 🚨 Officials suggest that more officials could be removed in the coming days as the investigation widens.