Every single Whitehouse has leaked such classified material to the Times...sometimes to gauge public reaction to a possible policy decision being considered.
That's why the Legislative and Executive never do anything about these leaks...They want to keep that avenue open.
That and the fallout from the Pentagon Papers make them too timid to challenge the press anyway.
You're probably right that the WH leaked this to take a poll. I don't know why Condor's post got pulled. He only said the truth about the political slime who run the world.