‘No Business in the Public Domain’: White House Says Journalists Should Not Report on Leaked Intel Documents

The White House spokesperson, John Kirby, urged journalists not to report on leaked Pentagon intelligence documents stating that such material has “no business in the public domain.” Kirby was repeatedly questioned during a press briefing on Monday on how the intelligence documents landed on various sites, including Twitter, 4chan, Telegram and more. Although Kirby refused to authenticate the documents, he emphasized that “it is not intended for public consumption and it should not be out there.” Kirby added that U.S. officials are still trying to find the source of the leaks and deal with the diplomatic fallout.

Despite Kirby’s warning, the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, CNN, Fox News, and other news outlets widely reported on the leaked documents. Additionally, the documents were widely circulated on social media and in foreign press all over the world.

The authenticity of the leaked documents has not been confirmed, and officials are currently reviewing how they share secrets internally and how to deals with the fallout. The Supreme Court made a landmark ruling in 1971 in New York Times Co. v. United States, allowing NY Times, Washington Post, and others to publish parts of a leaked Department of Defense report. The report was leaked by military analyst Daniel Ellsberg and revealed the inner workings of the U.S military’s policies around the Vietnam War. Kirby did not elaborate on which documents may have been doctored but some officials claim that those pertaining to the Ukraine-Russia war and South Korea are fake. Some analysts believe that the documents may have been leaked by a group within the U.S. intelligence community or military.

Another intelligence official, Chris Meagher, told reporters that the source of the leaks is under investigation; however, it is unknown if the leak has been contained. More so, there is no clarity on who is behind the leak or their motives.