Pentagon Reduces Access to Classified Information After Leak on Senior Officers' Opposition to Prolonging Iran War

The U.S. Department of Defense (the Pentagon) removed a broad set of classified documents spanning decades from a secure computer system widely used by defense officials and U.S. military personnel, after the Washington Post published a report detailing senior military officers' concerns about prolonging operations against Iran.

The Washington Post cited three individuals familiar with the matter, who requested anonymity, saying documents related to the "Secretary's Daily Order Book" were removed from an internal electronic gateway on the Pentagon's Secret Internet Protocol Router Network (SIPRNet).

It remains unclear immediately whether these documents are still accessible through other means to U.S. military personnel, or to what extent limiting access could complicate military planning operations, according to the newspaper.

SIPRNet contains information classified as "Secret," while information classified as "Top Secret" is stored on higher-level networks, with access restricted to fewer individuals.

A Pentagon spokesperson, Sean Barnhill, declined to comment on the matter but did not deny it occurred, stating in a statement: "As we have previously stated, the Department of Defense does not publicly discuss its internal operations regarding operational deliberations, including protocols for managing, handling, or accessing the Secretary's Daily Order Book."

The statement added that "the success of our personnel is the highest priority for Secretary Hegseth, which is why decisions relating to operational activities, force deployments, and deliberation staff are managed through appropriate secure channels to ensure mission security and operational integrity."

Information Leaks at the Pentagon

This change comes after a series of other steps taken by the Trump administration aimed at reducing information leaks to the media, including subjecting some employees to lie detector tests and issuing subpoenas to journalists.

In one case, the home of a Washington Post journalist was searched and her electronic devices seized.

Secretary's Daily Order Book

The "Secretary's Daily Order Book" includes details on the locations and availability of U.S. naval vessels, military units, weapon systems, and other resources.

It also provides senior generals and admirals a space to voice objections to President Donald Trump and Hegseth while continuing to carry out their orders.

This is done through a process known as "non-concurrence," which allows military leaders to clarify their reservations about orders or the negative consequences they may have on other military plans.

The "Secretary's Daily Order Book" is published twice monthly and became a focal point of intense discussion after the Washington Post revealed on Sunday that several senior generals and admirals warned Hegseth that prolonging large-scale operations against Iran was unsustainable and threatened to weaken U.S. forces' ability to respond to threats elsewhere.

Individuals familiar with the document said these leaders expressed their reservations by recording "non-concurrence" entries in the book.

Senior Military Leaders Record Reservations

Among those who recorded objections were General Alexus Greinko, Commander of U.S. European Command; General Francis Donovon, Commander of U.S. Southern Command; Admiral Samuel Paparo, Commander of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command; and Admiral Daryl Caudle, Chief of Naval Operations.

General Kenneth E. Wilsbach, Air Force Chief of Staff, and General Christopher Lanni, Acting Army Chief of Staff, agreed with Hegseth's plan to extend the deployment period for certain units, but emphasized that this step would carry significant risks, according to sources familiar with the matter quoted by the newspaper.

Barnhill had told the Washington Post before the report’s publication on Sunday that decisions regarding the scope and duration of deployment operations are based on threat assessments facing the United States, the president’s strategic priorities, and advice from senior military leaders.

Barnhill refused to provide further details, stating that the Pentagon "does not discuss internal operations."

Pentagon Denies Accuracy of Leak

After the Washington Post report was published, Barnhill described a large portion of what the newspaper reported as "inaccurate" in a post on the platform X, though he provided no specific details, stating that recording "non-concurrence" is a routine procedure.

Barnhill said that "the Secretary sees it regularly. That's how a real military institution operates. We are in an excellent position around the world."

Over recent months, senior U.S. officials have increasingly voiced concerns about the long-term impact of the war with Iran, which entered its seventh month after Trump initially claimed it would last only a few weeks.

These concerns include the significant depletion of scarce ammunition stocks such as Patriot interceptors and Tomahawk cruise missiles, as well as the strain placed on the U.S. Navy fleet during the maritime blockade of Iran.

Reduced Access May Slow Military Decisions

A former defense official who regularly reviewed these documents, speaking to the newspaper on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive plans, said removing or relocating the "Secretary's Daily Order Book" to systems with higher security classifications would "significantly reduce the number of people with direct access to it," potentially hampering urgent planning operations.

The former official added that military leaders and their staff rely on access to the book to make timely decisions and issue notifications.

He explained that, for example, when aircraft and weapons need to be transferred from one military command to another, urgent logistical work is required to redirect equipment and resources.

He said restricting access to relevant information would make this process slower and more difficult.

The former official noted that this shift does not make access to strategic and operational documents impossible for these personnel, but it has now become "certainly more difficult."