The Daily

Why Low-Ranking Soldiers Have Access to Top Secret Documents

Apr 21, 2023

Dave Philipps, a military correspondent for The New York Times, dives into the alarming case of Jack Teixeira, a 21-year-old airman arrested for leaking top-secret military documents. They discuss how low-ranking personnel have sweeping access to classified information, particularly after the reforms post-9/11. The conversation touches on the fragile balance of trust within the military, the historical context of intelligence leaks, and the ongoing risks they pose to national security in an increasingly digital age.

25:23

Creator website

Episode guests

David Philipps

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Episode notes

Intro

2min

Leak of Secrets: A Guard's Downfall

9min

The Expansion of Access to Top Secret Intelligence

3min

Intelligence Leaks: A New Era

10min

Trust and Accountability in Military Operations

3min

SpaceX's Ambitious Rocket Launch and Military in Sudan

3min

Last week, a 21-year old airman from Massachusetts, Jack Teixeira, was arrested under the Espionage Act and charged with violating federal laws by sharing top secret military documents with an online gaming group.

Dave Philipps, a military correspondent for The Times, explains why so many low-level government workers have access to so much classified material.

Guest: Dave Philipps, a military correspondent for The New York Times.

Background reading:

The arrest of Mr. Teixeira lays bare the sheer volume of people who have clearance to view a swath of national security documents that the government categorizes as top secret.
Mr. Teixeira grew up in a family with strong military ties, was quiet and somewhat awkward in high school and seemed, to some, unnervingly obsessed with war and guns.
The Teixeira case is unusual even in the small world of leak cases.

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