Watan-Just two months into his second term, U.S. President Donald Trump is facing mounting troubles from within his own team—despite efforts to project unity and control. While Trump has worked strategically to show cohesion inside his administration to both domestic and foreign audiences, cracks are emerging.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio—who hails from the traditional conservative wing of the Republican Party rather than the expanding MAGA movement—has reportedly grown frustrated with being sidelined, as Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Wietkov, takes on an increasingly prominent role. Wietkov is said to be operating beyond the bounds of his original assignment, raising concerns about overlapping responsibilities and internal power struggles.
Meanwhile, billionaire Elon Musk, owner of Tesla, SpaceX, and the social platform X (formerly Twitter), continues to stir trouble for Trump. The president is reportedly trying to contain the fallout from Musk’s alleged interference in key government departments, including the Department of Defense (Pentagon), which Trump aims to “overhaul” both structurally and administratively.
Leaks linked to Musk’s involvement have fueled major controversy in Washington, where Trump’s second-term administration—heavily populated by business figures—is dealing with hidden resistance from rivals looking to obstruct his agenda. This tension is prompting speculation about whether Trump will soon abandon Musk or initiate a rapid shakeup of his team, something he had promised to avoid this time after his first term, during which he famously fired officials via tweet.
Pentagon Leak Investigation Launched
On Saturday, the Pentagon announced a comprehensive investigation into the leaking of sensitive national security information—just the latest in a series of similar probes under Trump’s leadership. The situation echoes the secret documents leak during the final phase of Joe Biden’s presidency, which involved Israeli plans for responding to an Iranian drone and missile attack launched from occupied Palestinian territories in October. At the time, a Pentagon employee (Asif Rahman) was arrested in Cambodia for the leak.
This time, the Trump administration is reportedly open to using lie detector tests during the investigation.
The current leak involves highly sensitive information. Reports indicate that the Pentagon had prepared a classified military plan outlining potential escalation scenarios with China, which was initially intended to be presented to Elon Musk during his visit to the Pentagon last Friday. The document reportedly detailed every stage of a possible conflict—from detecting threats to outlining U.S. response options. However, other sources suggest the Pentagon ultimately decided against sharing the plan with Musk.
In an official statement, Pentagon Chief of Staff Joe Kasper said the recent leaks—especially involving “sensitive communications” with department heads—demand an immediate and thorough investigation. He confirmed that polygraph testing would be used where appropriate, and the results will be submitted to the Department of Defense along with recommendations to prevent future leaks. Anyone found to have exceeded their authority would face criminal prosecution.
Earlier this month, the Department of Homeland Security also announced that it would begin using lie detectors to prevent media leaks. The Department of Justice, meanwhile, opened a separate investigation into the leaking of classified information about the Venezuelan gang “Tren de Aragua.”
Trump Responds: “I Wouldn’t Share That Plan With Anyone”
Speaking from the White House last Friday, President Trump firmly denied recent media reports about Elon Musk’s alleged involvement in military planning. However, he did acknowledge for the first time that Musk’s business ties—particularly with China—could pose a potential conflict of interest. Musk currently heads the Office of Government Efficiency, where he is tasked with reducing federal spending.
“I wouldn’t show that plan to anyone,” Trump said. “Of course, we’re not going to show that to a businessman.” He admitted that Musk does business with China, and that could influence him. Trump accused The New York Times of fabricating the entire story, claiming Musk’s visit to the Pentagon was strictly to discuss budget cuts.
On his Truth Social platform, Trump wrote: “The Pentagon did not brief Elon on anything related to China,” labeling some media outlets “enemies of the people.” He dismissed the Times report as misleading, arguing that Musk’s commercial ties to China could lead him to leak classified material to top Chinese officials.
Trump Administration Resorts to Lie Detector Use
Musk, who has long praised China, maintains deep business ties there—particularly through Tesla’s Shanghai factory, which alone produced half of Tesla’s global vehicle output last year. SpaceX, meanwhile, holds government contracts reportedly worth $22 billion. His Pentagon visit, which lasted 80 minutes, included a meeting with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. It remains unclear if generals joined the meeting via remote call.
Musk called the Times article “propaganda” and urged legal action against those spreading “malicious fake leaks.” Hegseth, for his part, said the meeting with Musk focused only on innovation and efficiency.
Though polygraph test results are not admissible in court, the Trump administration’s willingness to use them signals a continued crackdown on internal dissent—building on the wave of federal employee purges already underway. While not new (federal agencies have used polygraphs since the 1990s), their application is controversial. Agencies like law enforcement and national security regularly use them to vet sensitive personnel. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 1998 that polygraph results cannot be used in military trials.
George Maschke, a former U.S. Army interrogator and founder of AntiPolygraph.org, stated that lie detectors are unreliable and prone to false results. Still, they have long been used to intimidate potential leakers and prevent communication between insiders and journalists.
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