A former Pentagon advisor who lost his job amid a leak investigation has landed a new position within the nation’s intelligence community, according to reports from The New York Times.
Dan Caldwell, who previously served as a senior advisor to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, will join the Office of the Director of National Intelligence in an advisory capacity. His Pentagon tenure ended abruptly when he was removed from the building and put on administrative leave due to what officials described as unauthorized information sharing.
Following his departure, Caldwell joined two other Pentagon officials in questioning the validity of the investigation against them. In their joint statement, they declared: “Unnamed Pentagon officials have slandered our character with baseless attacks on our way out the door.”
According to The New York Times, Caldwell’s upcoming position will involve providing guidance to senior intelligence officials who oversee coordination between various federal intelligence organizations and help prepare President Donald Trump’s daily intelligence reports.
An administration source indicated that Caldwell has not yet begun his duties at the intelligence office and that his position will be primarily administrative in nature.
The Office of the Director of National Intelligence addressed the hiring in an official statement: “Any individual who is hired by ODNI goes through an extensive background review, including record checks and personal interviews, with a trained official to ensure the individual is trustworthy and does not pose a threat to national security.”
Throughout his time in Washington, Caldwell has attracted notice for his foreign policy perspectives, which detractors have labeled as isolationist while supporters argue they represent a more balanced approach to America’s defense commitments.
