The Trump administration has put forward a proposal requiring all current and future federal employees to sign non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) as part of an effort to curb leaks to the media. This initiative, announced by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), aims to address unauthorized disclosures that have been deemed harmful to the administration’s operations.
Details of the Proposal
The OPM’s notice, published in the Federal Register, invites public comment on a draft NDA that federal agencies would use for both new and existing employees. The proposed NDA is designed to ensure that federal employees acknowledge and agree to comply with existing legal obligations to protect non-public, confidential, or proprietary information obtained through their official duties. Importantly, the agreement would still allow for disclosures authorized by law.
The notice also seeks input on whether the NDA should apply only to unclassified information and what actions should be taken if employees refuse to sign the agreement. The OPM highlighted several recent instances where unauthorized disclosures occurred, including cases involving the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security, where information about planned immigration enforcement actions was leaked.
Concerns and Reactions
One notable incident involved unauthorized information about a U.S. military raid in Venezuela being shared with major newspapers, which delayed publication to avoid jeopardizing U.S. troops. The Washington Post and New York Times have both been involved in such cases, with the Times denying claims of withholding publication at the administration’s request.
The proposal has sparked concern among media organizations and advocates of press freedom, particularly following the FBI’s seizure of a Washington Post reporter’s electronic devices in January. Additionally, the American Federation of Government Employees has criticized the proposed NDA, viewing it as an attempt to silence federal employees and replace nonpartisan career staff with administration loyalists.
As the administration continues its efforts to manage information flow, the proposal remains open for public comment, allowing stakeholders to weigh in on the balance between safeguarding sensitive information and maintaining transparency and accountability within the federal government.
Original reporting: Dallas TX News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
