Rep. Jason Crow: Congress Was Not Briefed On Pentagon Leak Probe, Lawmakers Say

Rep. Jason Crow (D-Colo.) said Sunday that Congress has not been briefed on a Pentagon investigation into leaks of classified information ordered by War Secretary Pete Hegseth. Crow, a senior member of both the House Armed Services Committee and the House Intelligence Committee, told CBS News that lawmakers "haven't received any information" and have learned about the probe only through public reports.

What Lawmakers Allege

Crow accused Hegseth of fostering "an effort to create fear and to clamp down on information coming out of the Pentagon." He emphasized that while preventing leaks of classified information is important, the broader context created by Hegseth is concerning. Crow also said Hegseth has removed more than 80 generals and admirals — whom Crow characterized as the top 10% of the military chain of command — and has created an "environment of fear," including limiting media access.

Reported Polygraph Examinations

Both CBS News and The New York Times reported Friday, citing unnamed sources, that military personnel underwent polygraph examinations after classified details about U.S. weapons stockpiles were leaked to journalists. The Times reported that roughly 50 members of the Joint Staff were examined, while CBS News said several dozen others, including some U.S. Central Command officials and other combatant commanders, were tested earlier this summer. The unnamed sources said the testing included questions intended to identify leakers and that, according to those sources, no one failed the exams.

Pentagon Response: "The Department does not comment on internal personnel or investigative matters but takes all leaks of classified national security information extremely seriously and investigates accordingly," Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell told reporters.

When asked about reported munitions shortages, Crow said, "They don't want people to know. This is exactly the point. They don't want people to know what's actually happening."

The dispute highlights tensions between Pentagon leadership and congressional overseers over transparency and oversight of national security matters. Members of key defense and intelligence committees say they expect briefings when an investigation touches sensitive operational or readiness issues.