A Pentagon probe concluded that no systemic counterintelligence weakness allowed the massive document leak that came to light in April, even after investigators found the leaker violated procedure on multiple occasions.
Department of Defense (DOD) efforts in keeping secrets safe have not kept pace with the rapid proliferation of stations and personnel that handle intelligence, the probe, of which the findings were released Wednesday, further concluded. Jack Teixeira, the 21-year-old information technician for the Massachusetts Air National Guard accused of spilling hundreds of classified documents online, was warned twice in 2022 for conducting broad searches in the U.S. intelligence networks and taking notes on classified documents but retained his security clearance, according to court documents.
Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin directed an internal security review in April after the documents, originally posted on a private Discord chat group, began circulating among wider social media communities, according to a fact sheet.
“The overwhelming majority of DOD personnel with access to [Classified National Security Information] comply with security policies, processes, and procedures, and recognize the importance of information security to fulfill DOD missions and maintain our national security,” Austin wrote in the Wednesday memo announcing the changes. (RELATED: CIA Fears ‘Disastrous Consequences’ As Ukraine Ignores US Warnings Against Sabotage Operations: REPORT)
DOD relies on “a culture of trust and accountability,” he added.
In response, DOD plans to reevaluate the criteria for “need to know” policies, where individuals authorized to view highly classified intelligence are granted access only to information deemed absolutely necessary for completing their mission, a U.S. defense official said on condition of anonymity to discuss the probe’s findings, according to The Washington Post.
Relevant military components will provide quarterly updates on their progress, according to the memo.
New actions include instituting a dedicated tracking system for secure compartments where classified information is disseminated and discussed, as well as developing ways to increase accountability and ensure personnel are adhering to existing laws and policies, the memo shows.
Teixeira is accused of leaking upwards of 100 documents intended for top-secret circulation only, detailing sensitive information on enemy operations and U.S. spying capabilities worldwide — including the ability to peer into the inner thoughts of U.S. allies.
Once U.S. intelligence and the wider public became aware of the leaks, Teixeira allegedly scrambled to destroy evidence of his presence on the networks and erase his name from online discussions, according to documents filed in the ongoing case.
“The nature of the materials that the Defendant accessed — not all of which have publicly surfaced — have the capacity to cause additional exceptionally grave damage to the U.S. national security if disclosed,” the filing states.
@AricToler There are a lot more in the server pic.twitter.com/6kCI6emYB7
— BTR ENJOYER (@btr_fan21) April 7, 2023
“We may get a little bit lax about enforcing the need to know. … Merely having a clearance does not give you access to information, you also have to have the need to know that information for some legitimate purpose,” Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall said in April, according to Defense One.
The Air Force temporarily reassigned the 102nd Intelligence Wing’s mission and suspended two of Teixeira’s commanders while an internal investigation was conducted, the command told The Associated Press in a statement.
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