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A new report from the Wall Street Journal shows that Hegseth is starting to see elusive leakers in his nightmares. According to the outlet, Hegseth threatened top officials with lie-detector tests to root out media sources on recent embarrassing stories.

https://archive.ph/dJ74K

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[–] Stamau123@lemmy.world 110 points 22 hours ago (1 children)

"Who's leaking all the signal chats?!" Asked Hegseth, in a hotdog costume

[–] BrokenGlepnir@lemmy.world 70 points 23 hours ago (4 children)

Polygraphs known for being fool proof with no methods to fool that the military would have complete awareness off.

[–] themeatbridge@lemmy.world 52 points 22 hours ago (2 children)

They're not even good at detecting lies. They detect nervousness. Truth can make people nervous.

[–] Iheartcheese@lemmy.world 26 points 20 hours ago (1 children)

Being accused of a lie can make you nervous too

[–] TheBat@lemmy.world 10 points 13 hours ago

Bro I'll be nervous if the interrogator is hot.

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[–] HellieSkellie@lemmy.dbzer0.com 7 points 11 hours ago* (last edited 11 hours ago) (1 children)

I mean the military doesn't train you on how to cheat a polygraph, but it's also not really necessary. The polygraph is security theater and people slip by it all the time in the intelligence community without trying.

There are unclassified quarterly audits on how effective the polygraph is at catching criminals on DOD security clearance polys. The funniest audit I saw was a guy who was smuggling drugs to Texas from Mexico since the '80s, passed a dozen polygraphs during his time doing that, and then admitted to drug running during his polygraph like 35 years later because he felt like it before retiring.

There was an old beardy white fuck who was a polygraph examiner at my job. He swore the polygraph wasn't security theater and that it could tell when people were lying. I'd always ask him about the quarterly audits showing people "beating" the machine for years and get into fights with him. That dude also said his job was like "welfare for white people".

Modern witch tests, same bullshit.

[–] IHeartBadCode@fedia.io 6 points 22 hours ago

Right? The group he's threatening is likely to have plenty who can pass with flying colors.

[–] Archangel1313@lemm.ee 3 points 20 hours ago

Just clench your sphincter every time you answer truthfully. It'll be false negatives, all the way down.

[–] ShaggySnacks@lemmy.myserv.one 47 points 22 hours ago (1 children)

Petey, the reason why people are leaking everything is cause the administration that you work in is a complete an utter fucking clown show.

People want to talk about the dumpster fire on rails. The mainstream media is loving this the slow, moving horror show as everyone wants to tune in.

[–] commitme@lemmy.world 3 points 17 hours ago
[–] HarkMahlberg@kbin.earth 45 points 19 hours ago (1 children)

Hegseth is starting to see elusive leakers in his nightmares.

Best news I've heard all week. I hope this guy also dreams his teeth are falling out.

[–] citizensongbird@lemmy.world 10 points 12 hours ago (2 children)

Teeth falling out is a vanity dream, common among people who worry a LOT about their looks. Actors, models, government officials who need a makeup studio at the Pentagon, etc.

[–] Corkyskog@sh.itjust.works 6 points 12 hours ago (1 children)

What if they turn into Legos after they fall out of your mouth and you build an impossible replica of the Taj Mahal out of them?

[–] InEnduringGrowStrong@sh.itjust.works 8 points 11 hours ago (1 children)

I've always wanted to see the Taj Molar.

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[–] RedditIsDeddit@lemmy.world 39 points 10 hours ago (11 children)

More absolute stupidity from Peter Hegseth. polygraphs don't really mean much and they're not even admissible in a courtroom.

[–] funkless_eck@sh.itjust.works 10 points 10 hours ago

it'll be like the scene in The Wire where they use a photocopier that prints "True" or "False" on a piece of paper

[–] Jax@sh.itjust.works 6 points 5 hours ago (1 children)

Member all those shows where polygraphs, or really any kind of tech that's advanced enough to be hard to figure out, are just called lie-detectors and treated as if they really do detect lies? Shows where the main character will poke themselves with a pin to 'trick' the polygraph, or some other kind of bullshit.

This is what your average lead brained alcoholic boomer accepts as true, because dey seen it on da teevee. A failed polygraph test is absolutely the kind of bullshit that his supporters would eat up as evidence.

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[–] ILikeBoobies@lemmy.ca 5 points 10 hours ago

They are an intimidation tool so it seems he is using it appropriately

[–] Daggity@lemm.ee 4 points 6 hours ago

Next up, his top psychic will tell him what to do.

[–] PunkRockSportsFan@fanaticus.social 3 points 6 hours ago (1 children)

lol at courtroom being something fascists care about

[–] RedditIsDeddit@lemmy.world 3 points 4 hours ago

Courtrooms are the only things preventing fascism from taking hold right now in the USA.

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[–] Archangel1313@lemm.ee 36 points 20 hours ago (1 children)

Maybe if this fuckin' idiot would stop using unsecured communication systems, he'd have a bit more privacy.

[–] commitme@lemmy.world 5 points 17 hours ago

You can't fix stupid.

[–] 4am@lemm.ee 34 points 19 hours ago

Whiskeyleaks

[–] Ledericas@lemm.ee 30 points 16 hours ago (1 children)

chronic alcoholism does cause paranoia.

[–] nightofmichelinstars@sopuli.xyz 5 points 12 hours ago

Also possibly leaking. Pun intended.

[–] Litebit@lemmy.world 27 points 10 hours ago (2 children)

Why can't this public servant, a secretary, just do his job properly.

[–] Lushed_Lungfish@lemmy.ca 6 points 10 hours ago

The problem is in the job title: secretary. The implication is that the incumbent is thus "able to keep a secret" or at rather, keep their mouth shut.

This idiot can't keep his mouth shut to save his life.

The only time his mouth is otherwise occupied is when Trump's Bump of a Lump is in it.

[–] The_Caretaker@lemm.ee 3 points 7 hours ago* (last edited 7 hours ago)

That would require him to read and understand what his job is. It would also require him to understand the training he should have received before getting a security clearance. It would also require that he understands that by signing his SF-86 he agreed to be subject to a lengthy stay in a federal prison for leaking information.

[–] OhStopYellingAtMe@lemmy.world 26 points 13 hours ago (1 children)

Install a mirror in his office. He’ll find the leaker right away.

[–] Zombiepirate@lemmy.world 11 points 12 hours ago (1 children)

Either that or he'll get shitfaced and try to fight himself.

[–] GeeDubHayduke@lemmy.dbzer0.com 7 points 10 hours ago

"Who the fffuch're yoo, Bro?! Thish ish MY fucheen offish, BRO!"

[–] Kazumara@discuss.tchncs.de 22 points 12 hours ago (2 children)

“The extraordinary thing is that lie detector tests are being threatened not to uncover potential anti-President Trump civil servants but to catch political appointees suspected of leaking classified or sensitive information,” a source in defense told the paper.

Sorry what? How is that extraordinary? The opposite, which seems like the sources preferred suggestion, seems way worse?! Loyalty tests are not justified by anything, leaking classified information could at least be a crime providing some justification.

[–] frezik@midwest.social 5 points 10 hours ago

Well, we do know of several political appointees who leaked classified information. Didn't even need a polygraph; they just told a journalist.

[–] _cryptagion@lemmy.dbzer0.com 4 points 9 hours ago

Leaking classified information should not be a crime because the government should not be allowed to keep secrets from the sole source of its power.

[–] tal@lemmy.today 20 points 23 hours ago* (last edited 23 hours ago)

A new report from the Wall Street Journal shows that Hegseth is starting to see elusive leakers in his nightmares.

“I’ll hook you up to a f**king polygraph!” Hegseth reportedly yelled at Grady, per two unnamed sources who spoke with the outlet.

Seems like this anti-leak crackdown is going well.

“The extraordinary thing is that lie detector tests are being threatened not to uncover potential anti-President Trump civil servants but to catch political appointees suspected of leaking classified or sensitive information,” a source in defense told the paper.

A source who spoke to Politico characterized the situation in Hegseth's inner circle as a "knife fight."

Sounds like it's generating more leaks than it's plugging.

https://quoteinvestigator.com/2020/07/15/morale/

Quote Origin: The Floggings Will Continue Until Morale Improves

Appears like the most-direct original quote is from the military.

In 1961 a U.S. Navy publication called “All Hands” printed a one-panel comic depicting a naval officer addressing a group of sailors. The caption presented an instance within the family of caustic jokes about morale:

“. . . and all liberty is canceled until morale improves.”

[–] Zippygutterslug@lemmy.world 18 points 23 hours ago (1 children)

You think he still had his glass of whisky in hand while he shouted that?

[–] catloaf@lemm.ee 15 points 23 hours ago

Glass, yes. Whisky, not any more.

[–] FuglyDuck@lemmy.world 14 points 19 hours ago

It’s not the staff’s fault if you’re a leaky ass.

[–] Jaysyn@lemmy.world 14 points 6 hours ago

LOL, polygraphs are worse than useless.

[–] BradleyUffner@lemmy.world 10 points 2 hours ago

Has Hegseth considered that he maybe leaked it himself during a drunken signal chat with a newspaper reporter?

[–] lemmie689@lemmy.sdf.org 8 points 22 hours ago
[–] TheBat@lemmy.world 6 points 13 hours ago

Waiting for the supposed 'deep state/illuminati' to 'take care' of this guy.

[–] commitme@lemmy.world 4 points 17 hours ago
[–] minorkeys@lemmy.world 4 points 44 minutes ago

Narcissistic individuals become paranoid when they can't find a suitable excuse for their own failures. Because they can't admit fault, they must always externalize the cause. Something is at fault but it can't be them as avoiding fault is their most important article of psychological faith.

So, if their narcissistic coping skills are inadequate and can't construct a believable excuse, given the circumstance, they can't effectively point the finger. All that's left is the pathological, egotistical desire to point the finger away from themselves and when they can't point at anything specific? That manifests as paranoia. As they habitually dismiss their own fault, the only possibility is an unknown force that is attacking them by forcing them to experience being responsible for their own failures.

Trump and his entire administration is filled with these people. Their narcissism also makes them incompetent, so failures will continue to pile up, eventually threatening Trump himself. When Trump inevitably becomes paranoid, as there is nothing left to blame, he will use his authority to start attacking unrelated targets that he blames for his failures, hoping it will prevent the failures. But it won't. It will accelerate his failures and eventually lead to the end of him. He already blames the media, the democrats, the scientists, the public, foreign nations etc. for the failures of his leadership.

All because his ego is so malformed that he can't endure feeling responsibility for failures, while ironically seizing a position of immense responsibility, one he will inevitably fail at. His greatest failure will be his inability to endure failure.

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