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The administration of President Donald Trump may require federal employees to sign non-disclosure agreements aimed at preventing leaks to the media, according to a draft agreement posted Tuesday by the Office of Personnel Management.
The proposed agreement states that “federal employees do not have discretion to disclose Confidential Government Information,” warning that unauthorized disclosures disrupt agency operations and undermine public trust.
Under the draft policy, agencies across the federal government could choose to adopt the NDA requirement for employees. The restrictions would apply not only to current federal workers but also to former employees after they leave government service.
The proposal would require former employees who signed the agreement to obtain “written permission from an authorized agency official” before discussing information the administration designates as confidential.
Employees found to have violated the agreement could face legal consequences, including financial penalties and the forfeiture of any profits or “royalties” connected to unauthorized disclosures.
The proposal marks the latest escalation in Trump’s broader campaign against leaks and media organizations during his second term in office.
Since returning to the White House, Trump has pursued lawsuits against multiple news outlets, restricted press access to certain White House events and intensified leak investigations inside the federal government.
The administration has also taken aggressive action against journalists covering national security and defense issues. Earlier this year, federal investigators seized devices belonging to a reporter for The Washington Post as part of a leak investigation.
The administration additionally imposed new restrictions on journalists covering the United States Department of Defense, prompting dozens of Pentagon reporters to surrender their credentials rather than comply with the updated rules.
Civil liberties advocates and press freedom groups are expected to closely scrutinize the proposed NDA policy, particularly over concerns that it could chill whistleblower activity and limit public access to information about government operations.
