Marko Hakamaa reports for SecurityClearanceJobsBlog.com in a post titled, “Polygraph Timelines Affected by DRP and Retirements.” Excerpt: Previously, polygraphs were already the part of getting security clearance eligibility that took the longest with the Intelligence Community agencies. This was due to polygraph examiner shortages and scheduling backlogs which included having to test some individuals multiple … Read more
The White House has reportedly directed the Department of Defense to stop polygraphing for leakers after Patrick Reed Weaver, a senior advisor to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, raised concerns. Dan Lamothe and Ellen Nakashima report for the Washington Post in an article titled, “Hegseth team told to stop polygraph tests after complaint to White … Read more
New York Times reporter Adam Goldman, following up on his earlier reporting that senior FBI executives were being polygraphed at a “rapid rate,” provides new details about the FBI’s use of polygraphs to go after journalistic sources in a new article titled, “The F.B.I. Is Using Polygraphs to Test Officials’ Loyalty.” Excerpt: Typically, the F.B.I. … Read more
Former CIA officer Brian O’Neill has written a cogent and well-researched essay for the non-profit, independent news organization, The Conversation titled, “Trump administration’s lie detector campaign against leakers is unlikely to succeed and could divert energy from national security priorities.” Excerpt: The Trump administration has recently directed that a new wave of polygraphs be administered … Read more
Journalist Kevin Gosztola spoke with AntiPolygraph.org co-founder George Maschke for his Dissenter Update podcast. Their conversation, which addresses topics including the scientific shortcomings of polygraphy, the use of polygraph screening in an attempt to deter whistleblowing, and how federal employees can protect themselves, begins a little past the ten-minute mark:
On 14 May 2025, AntiPolygraph.org co-founder George Maschke challenged polygrapher David Goldberg, host of the Inside the Polygraph podcast, to explain why, if as Goldberg had maintained in a podcast episode on pre-employment polygraph screening, “you can’t [beat a polygraph test],” any polygrapher would care whether a person has looked up how to beat a … Read more
While traveling abroad recently, I was saddened to learn that New York architect John Young, who co-founded the website Cryptome, died on 28 March 2025. He was 89 years old. Cryptome was and remains a site dedicated to making documents available to the public that governments would rather keep secret. I was in communication (usually … Read more
CNN senior writer Zachary B. Wolf comments on the Trump administration’s use of polygraphs to go after federal employees who speak with journalists. His well-researched article, “The Trump administration revives an old intimidation tactic: the polygraph machine,” was published on 5 June 2025. Excerpt: When President Ronald Reagan’s White House threatened thousands of government officials … Read more
In an article titled “Unease at F.B.I. Intensifies as Patel Ousts Top Officials,” New York Times national security reporter Adam Goldman notes the increased use of polygraphs under FBI Director Kash Patel’s leadership to discourage employees from speaking with journalists. Excerpt: The F.B.I.’s increasingly pervasive use of the polygraph, or a lie-detector test, has only … Read more
Marisa Taylor, Ted Hesson, Alexandra Alper, and Helen Coster report for Reuters in an article titled, “Trump officials are using polygraph tests to flush out even minor leaks.” Their reporting is based on “conversations with nine current and former federal government employees under the current administration who described a concerted effort to expose leaks of … Read more