https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/9/5/pentagon-polygraphs-military-staff-over-media-leaks-report
In part -
United States investigators have subjected about 50 members of the US military’s Joint Staff to lie detector tests following a series of unauthorised media leaks, according to a report by The New York Times (NYT).
The inquiry focused on whether civilian and military personnel leaked classified details to reporters, particularly concerning dwindling US ammunition reserves, the newspaper reported on Friday.
The polygraph examinations took place last month after news outlets published several reports highlighting severe drops in key weapons supplies, including long-range missiles and Patriot air defence interceptors. US officials had pushed back on these reports, insisting their weapons stockpiles were more than sufficient.
In a statement to the NYT, Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell declined to address internal administrative or investigative actions directly, but emphasised that the department takes leaks of national security information “extremely seriously and investigates accordingly”.
Now, note this after all is the Trump administration. The dare-you-trust-a-thing-they-say administration.
Consider a scenario, the Pentagon sits atop a massive stockpile of war munitions, but wants more and different goodies. So, claim a shortage. In line with that, minimizing the situation as "not a war" is an inept attempt to dodge the need of Congressional authorization for a war. So call it less. And scale down - drag out the airstrikes, since oil cronies have had a bonanza from six months of non-war, so don't turn the burner off.
That scenario is as likely as any other since the Big Lie is the daily order of Trumpian business dealing.
You cannot trust a thing they say. They could deliberately leak stuff, so they could bloviate about stuff being leaked. Untrustworthy is as untrustworthy does.
UPDATE: https://emptywheel.net/2026/09/05/is-iran-flagging-or-waiting-to-pounce/
That post opens with a Trump truth-social blurb saying we've armed to the teeth and not deficient in the stockpiles. Some commentators there question if it is a breach of law to give untrue information on a classified matter (leaks say stockpiles depleted, Trump says stockpiles fine, and somebody is correct).
It seems Trump's position is armed to the teeth, but it's not a war, so not much is happening except how much oil gets out of the Persian Gulf and how that affects oil prices (with diesel now at a record high pump price on average, nationwide).
Polygraph question, "Did you release accurate or false statements to the press about our weapon stockpiles whch either are deficient or just fine, and if you leaked, which is it?"
There are piles of weapons, but jet fuel is diesel grade, and it costs so much we decided to not fly sorties, except when we do? It's NOT a war. It's a joke. But Chevron is booming and all is okay.
FURTHER: Comment on a bluesky post about the polygraph tests:
Maybe they can do their new, mandatory, testosterone tests at the same time.
Which puts the entire stockpile yikes! [yes/no] problem in perspective. Along with the it's a war [yes/no] question. How did this bunch get hands on the levers of power? Tell me that.
Bart Jansen