FBI Investigation Targets Reporter
On Wednesday, FBI agents executed a search warrant at the Virginia residence of a reporter from the Washington Post as part of an extensive investigation into a government contractor accused of mishandling state secrets.
During the operation in Alexandria, authorities confiscated several items belonging to reporter Hannah Natanson, including her personal and work laptops, a phone, and a Garmin watch. Natanson reports on changes made by the Trump administration to federal operations.
Attorney General Pam Bondi stated that the Pentagon initiated the search due to allegations that Natanson had “obtained and reported classified and illegally leaked information from a Pentagon contractor.”
The individual accused of leaking information, Aurelio Perez-Lugones, is facing charges for unlawfully retaining national defense information. According to Bondi, he is currently incarcerated.
The attorney general emphasized on social media that “the Trump Administration will not tolerate illegal leaks of classified information that pose significant risks to our nation’s security and those serving our country.”
Court documents reveal that Perez-Lugones printed and took home classified reports while working as a system administrator in Maryland. During a recent search of his home and vehicle, agents discovered documents labeled “SECRET,” with one file notably stored in a lunchbox.
Last year, Bondi authorized legal actions against government officials who leak sensitive information to journalists. This marked a departure from policies under the Biden administration, which had protected media members from having their phone records secretly obtained during investigations into leaks.
