Pentagon Leak Probe Sparks Backlash After Advisor Ouster

Dan Caldwell, a former top adviser to U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, has spoken out following his sudden removal from the Pentagon amid a controversial leak investigation. In a joint statement with fellow ousted officials Darin Selnick and Colin Carroll, Caldwell expressed frustration over their dismissal, calling the process opaque and unjust.

"We are incredibly disappointed by the manner in which our service at the Department of Defense ended," Caldwell wrote on X, condemning what he described as character attacks by unnamed Pentagon sources. The trio claimed they were never informed of specific allegations or whether a formal probe ever took place, denying any unauthorized disclosure of sensitive information. "We understand the importance of information security and worked every day to protect it," they said.

The controversy follows reports from Reuters that Caldwell was escorted from the Pentagon after being implicated in a leak probe. Selnick, recently appointed as Hegseth’s deputy chief of staff, and Carroll, chief of staff to Deputy Defense Secretary Steve Feinberg, were also removed shortly after.

Although Caldwell is not a household name, he played a significant advisory role, particularly on U.S. national security strategy. His influence was evident in leaked Signal messages published by The Atlantic, where Hegseth named him the key liaison to the National Security Council during planning for strikes against Yemen’s Houthis.

A Marine Corps veteran and Iraq war deployer, Caldwell has previously advocated for reduced U.S. military engagement abroad. His skepticism toward aid to Ukraine and calls for American retrenchment in Europe have stirred debate in Washington.

This removal is separate from a broader Pentagon shake-up under Hegseth, who has already dismissed several top military leaders, including the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and heads of major commands.