Pentagon Leaker Arrested for Exposing Government Lies About Ukraine War

What’s happening: Yesterday, the FBI arrested a Massachusetts Air National Guard member in connection with the recent Pentagon leaks. The suspect is 21-year-old Jack Teixeira, who was assigned to manage communications systems at Otis Air National Guard Base, according to the Air Force. His house was swarmed with armored vehicles and heavily armored federal agents. Teixeira is expected to appear today in federal court in Massachusetts.

Media faces criticism: The Washington Post and The New York Times released Teixeira’s personal information before the FBI. They gained access to Teixeira’s friends but prioritized publishing the leaker’s political leanings rather than investigating other classified details he revealed to his friends. These outlets played the government’s role by hunting down the leaker—not the journalistic role of seeking to uncover the truth.

Between the lines: Friends describe the leaker as someone who wanted to show off his high-level access, who distrusted the federal government, a devout Catholic, and a gun enthusiast. Because of his conservative leanings, the Justice Department and the Pentagon could use the case as justification to purge more conservatives from intelligence, an effort started by the Biden administration, which is already using the leak to expand how it monitors online social media.

Big picture: Despite the motives, the leaks shattered the narrative of the Biden administration, which has repeatedly lied about the Ukraine war and pushed America closer to the conflict. It has often stated that Russia was losing and that America had no troops on the ground. Both were proven to be brazen lies because of Teixeira’s leaks.