Washington Post columnist Marc Thiessen called for the prosecution of the “traitor” who leaked classified information used in his own newspaper’s reporting about warnings from senior military leaders concerning the ongoing Iran war.
Thiessen, a conservative columnist for the outlet, issued the demand Sunday in a post on X after The Washington Post published a report claiming top commanders had warned Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth that prolonged, large-scale military operations against Iran were becoming unsustainable.
The newspaper reported that the warnings appeared in the classified Aug. 14 edition of the Secretary of Defense Orders Book. The assessment reportedly examined the availability of American forces and military equipment around the world.
Reporters cited individuals familiar with the classified assessment who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the document publicly.
“Whoever leaked this is a traitor and ought to be prosecuted,” Thiessen wrote while sharing the report on X.
His response quickly sparked a heated public exchange with fellow Washington Post columnist Josh Rogin, who covers foreign policy and also serves as the newspaper’s lead global security analyst.
Rogin responded by pointing to The Post’s defense of its reporting following criticism from Sean Parnell, the Pentagon’s chief spokesman. Parnell had condemned the newspaper over its publication of information from the classified document.
The Washington Post pushed back, maintaining that the reporting was in the “public interest.” The outlet also argued that “the assertion that such publication is a crime is both incorrect and irresponsible.”
Thiessen, however, stressed that his criticism was not aimed at the newspaper or the journalists responsible for reporting and publishing the information. Instead, he said his demand for prosecution applied specifically to the government official who supplied the classified material to the press.
“I said whoever LEAKED it, Josh,” Thiessen wrote in response to Rogin. “You do get that a government official leaking classified information to the press is committing a crime, right?”
The sharp exchange drew additional attention after New York Times media reporter Ben Mullin highlighted the disagreement between the two Washington Post columnists.
Thiessen responded to Mullin by arguing that his position on government officials leaking classified information has remained “consistent” throughout the “last 16 years.”
The columnist pointed to previous cases involving WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange and National Security Agency whistleblower Edward Snowden, noting that he had similarly called for their prosecution.
Thiessen’s comments placed the focus on the source of the classified material while distinguishing that individual’s conduct from the actions of journalists who received and published the information. The Washington Post, meanwhile, continued to defend the report as serving the public interest despite the Pentagon spokesman’s criticism.
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