AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): US government investigators, in an unprecedented move, have subjected approximately 50 personnel from the Joint Chiefs of Staff to polygraph tests. These investigations come following leaks indicating that the war against Iran has led to severe shortages of vital ammunition, including long-range missiles and Patriot interceptors. The aim of this pressure is not only to identify whistleblowers but also to create an atmosphere of fear and terror among other officials to prevent any future information disclosures.
This extensive use of polygraph tests on senior military ranks is unprecedented in US history. While the Pentagon claims these measures are for national security, the reality shows that this approach has intensified an atmosphere of mistrust and paranoia within the main body of American military power. These pressures coincide with media reports about the depletion of ammunition stockpiles due to the conflict with Iran and internal concerns about the strategic management of this war.
Under Trump's pressure, the US security atmosphere has moved toward suffocation, to the extent that he has described critical media coverage of the management of the Iran war and ammunition shortages as "treason." In this context, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, by creating a severe atmosphere of mistrust, has either dismissed or blocked the promotion of at least 80 generals and admirals. By restricting journalists' access and creating a tense atmosphere, he has effectively pushed military management toward informational isolation.
The US government's retaliatory actions have extended beyond military interrogations into the realm of press freedom. Recently, the Department of War fired the publisher and editor-in-chief of the Stars and Stripes media outlet for their coverage of the dire conditions of the USS Abraham Lincoln. This move indicates a direct effort by the administration to take revenge against media outlets that question US military policies.
Ultimately, US military management has reached a point where even divisions within the Republican Party have emerged. Senator Thom Tillis, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, sharply criticizing Hegseth's performance, described his management as "inept" and called for his removal. Tillis believes that instead of focusing on vital national defense duties, Hegseth has involved himself in culture wars and is afraid of the country's most capable officers.
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