Top Pentagon adviser removed amid leak investigation

A senior adviser to U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was removed from the Pentagon on Tuesday as part of an ongoing investigation into unauthorized disclosures of sensitive national security information, according to an exclusive report from Reuters.

Dan Caldwell, a key member of Hegseth’s inner circle, was placed on administrative leave and escorted from the building after being identified as part of a probe into recent leaks at the Department of Defense.

A U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Reuters that the action stemmed from “an unauthorized disclosure,” but declined to specify the nature or recipient of the leaked information. “The investigation remains ongoing.”

Caldwell, though not widely known to the public, has been described as a central figure in Hegseth’s Pentagon team. His importance was underscored in a leaked portion of the Signal exchange, in which Hegseth referred to him as the best staff point of contact for the National Security Council in coordinating airstrikes on Houthi targets.

Caldwell was also included in a private Signal group chat that became the focus of a separate controversy last month—dubbed “Signal Gate”—after journalist Jeffrey Goldberg revealed he had been mistakenly added to the conversation, which included discussions about airstrikes against Houthi targets.

The chat involved top national security officials, including National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, and Vice President JD Vance. In the exchange, Hegseth identified Caldwell as the best staff point of contact for the National Security Council.

There is no confirmed connection between his removal and the Signal Gate incident. White House officials have insisted that no classified information was shared in the chat.

Caldwell has not commented publicly, and the Department of Defense has not announced any formal charges. The White House has yet to issue a statement on his removal.