US military officials subjected to lie detector tests after leaks (media)

The Pentagon subjected dozens of its top military officials to lie detector tests to determine the source of a leak of information concerning a shortage of US military ammunition, several US media outlets reported.

The New York Times revealed on Friday that 50 members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Pentagon's planning and advisory staff, had to submit to polygraph tests as part of this investigation.

This information was confirmed by CBS, which added that the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Dan Caine, had not been tested.

In late July, press reports indicated that the United States was rationing the use of its missiles, particularly interceptor missiles, after reserves had been severely depleted due to the war in Iran.

The Trump administration denied this, with the US president stating that the country had "enormous quantities of ammunition".

When questioned about this investigation by AFP, Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell declined to comment on any "internal personnel or investigative matters" but stated that he takes "all leaks of classified national security information extremely seriously" and conducts "appropriate investigations accordingly."

"Securing classified information is essential to ensuring the safety of the United States and our troops deployed around the world," he added.

The polygraph test is a common practice during background checks or security clearance renewals for government agents with access to the most sensitive state secrets.

But the deployment of these tests on a large scale as part of an investigation into leaks is very rare, if not unprecedented, according to analysts and sources cited anonymously by the New York Times and CBS.

AFP