The Trump administration has introduced a proposal that would require all current and future federal employees to sign non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) as part of an effort to prevent leaks of sensitive information to the media. This initiative, announced by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), seeks public comment on a draft NDA intended for use by federal agencies.
Protecting Sensitive Information
The proposed NDA is designed to ensure that federal employees acknowledge and comply with existing legal obligations to safeguard non-public, confidential, or proprietary information encountered during their official duties. The OPM emphasizes that the NDA will preserve employees’ rights to make disclosures authorized by law.
The proposal comes in response to several recent incidents where internal communications related to rulemaking and policy development were leaked without authorization. Notably, there were cases involving unauthorized disclosures by employees at the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security regarding planned immigration enforcement actions.
Concerns Over Press Freedom
One significant incident highlighted in the OPM’s request for comment involved the unauthorized release of information about a U.S. raid on Venezuela. The New York Times and Washington Post reportedly delayed publishing details to avoid jeopardizing U.S. troops. Representatives from both newspapers have not yet commented on the proposal.
Since President Donald Trump’s return to the White House, addressing leaks deemed harmful to the administration’s messaging has been a priority across multiple federal agencies. In January, the FBI seized electronic devices from a Washington Post reporter, a move that raised concerns among media organizations and press freedom advocates.
Additionally, last year saw a notable incident at the Pentagon where numerous reporters surrendered their access badges in protest of new rules imposed by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. These rules threatened journalists with expulsion for reporting on unapproved information, whether classified or not.
The American Federation of Government Employees has not yet responded to requests for comment on the proposed NDAs.
Original reporting: 40/29 / KHBS (NW Arkansas) — read the source article.
