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FBI Raids House of Washington Post Reporter in Pentagon Leak Probe; Suspected Leaker ‘Behind Bars’
American Greatness ^ | Jan 16 2026 | Debra Heine

Posted on 01/15/2026 11:25:39 PM PST by texas booster

The FBI searched the home of Washington Post reporter Hannah Natanson Wednesday morning, as part of a classified document leak investigation. Agents reportedly executed a search warrant at her residence in suburban Alexandria, Va., seizing her phone, a Garmin watch, and two laptops (a personal computer and a Washington Post-issued device).

Natanson was reportedly told she is not the target of the investigation.

The suspected leaker, Aurelio Perez-Lugones, is a Maryland-based government system administrator with top-secret clearance. The Justice Department alleges in its complaint that he took home classified material, including documents found in his lunchbox and basement.

Attorney General Pam Bondi announced in a statement on X that Perez-Lugones “is currently behind bars.”

“This past week, at the request of the Department of War, the Department of Justice and FBI executed a search warrant at the home of a Washington Post journalist who was obtaining and reporting classified and illegally leaked information from a Pentagon contractor,” she stated.

“The Trump Administration will not tolerate illegal leaks of classified information that, when reported, pose a grave risk to our Nation’s national security and the brave men and women who are serving our country.”

The Washington Post confirmed the search and said it is monitoring the situation, while press freedom groups condemned the move as a “tremendous intrusion” and a threat to journalistic independence.

FBI Director Kash Patel said in a statement Wednesday that Natanson had allegedly obtained and reported on “classified, sensitive military information from a government contractor, endangering our warfighters and compromising America’s national security.”

Natanson, who covers the Trump administration’s “reshaping” of the federal workforce, published a column last month titled “I am The Post’s ‘federal government whisperer.’ It’s been brutal,” ...

(Excerpt) Read more at amgreatness.com ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Government; News/Current Events; US: District of Columbia; US: Maryland; US: Virginia
KEYWORDS: adiosmofo; aurelioperezlugones; brianburch; cardinal; contractor; garminwatch; hannahnatanson; leakers; maryland; natanson; parolin; perezlugones; pietroparolin; signal; signalchat; vatican; venezuela; washingtonpost; washpo
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... detailing how she had been receiving “tips” from hundreds of fellow travelers in the federal work force via the encrypted messaging channel, Signal.

The year-long leak operation resulted in several Washington Post “scoops” that were intended to damage the Trump administration.

President Trump told reporters Wednesday afternoon that Lugones had leaked classified information regarding Venezuela and that there could be some others arrested soon.

“We’re hot on their trail,” he said, adding that “the leaker will probably be in jail for a long time. We’ll see what happens.”

1 posted on 01/15/2026 11:25:39 PM PST by texas booster
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To: texas booster

More happy Signal users in the federal government!


2 posted on 01/15/2026 11:26:19 PM PST by texas booster (Join FreeRepublic's Folding@Home team (Team # 36120) Cure Alzheimer's!)
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To: texas booster; Fedora

According to the following link, he whad been taking documents from a SCIF, copying, photographing, etc. He had docs in his car, in his home and basement, etc. actually caught in the act while he was talking to this reporter on the phone:

From SCIF to Lunchbox: FBI Details Unauthorized Removal of Classified Intelligence
Christopher Burgess / Jan 15, 2026

https://news.clearancejobs.com/2026/01/15/from-scif-to-lunchbox-fbi-details-unauthorized-removal-of-classified-intelligence/


3 posted on 01/15/2026 11:54:02 PM PST by piasa (Attitude adjustments offered here free of charge)
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To: texas booster

He is former Navy. Took stuff beginning in October probably Venezuela-related, then a flurry of activity when Maduro was nabbed.


4 posted on 01/15/2026 11:56:00 PM PST by piasa (Attitude adjustments offered here free of charge)
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To: piasa

She must have been using the Garvin smartwatch in that last chat, lol.


5 posted on 01/15/2026 11:58:42 PM PST by piasa (Attitude adjustments offered here free of charge)
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To: texas booster; Fedora

This article is probably a result of one of this guy’s shared documents...note the gob of reporters on one story :

Inside the frantic global race to find an escape route for Maduro
Story by Anthony Faiola, Samantha Schmidt, Hannah Natanson, John Hudson, Karen DeYoung, Catherine Belton • 6d
Washington Post via MSM

VATICAN CITY — On Christmas Eve, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, second-in-command to the pope and a longtime diplomatic mediator, urgently summoned Brian Burch, the U.S. ambassador to the Holy See, to press for details on America’s plans in Venezuela, according to government documents obtained by The Washington Post.....

It is a pretty juicy article.


6 posted on 01/16/2026 12:17:31 AM PST by piasa (Attitude adjustments offered here free of charge)
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To: texas booster
…government system administrator … top-secret clearance … classified material … found in his lunchbox …

His lunchbox?

7 posted on 01/16/2026 12:20:24 AM PST by HIDEK6 (God bless Donald Trump)
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To: piasa

ugh...

This guy Parolin must be a piece of work:

Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò, who had served as apostolic nuncio to Nigeria from 1992 until 1998, denounced Parolin’s remarks as yet another sign of the hierarchy betraying faithful Catholics.

“The shameful words of Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin on the alleged ‘social conflict’ in Nigeria misrepresent the reality of a ferocious and genocidal persecution against Catholics, martyred while Rome rambles on about synodality and inclusiveness,” His Excellency remarked.

Archbishop Viganò continued:

“No, Your Eminence: Nigerian Catholics are being killed in hatred of the Faith they profess, by Muslims and in obedience to the Koran. Those same Muslims who are transforming your churches into mosques, with your cowardly and courtesan complicity, and who will soon overthrow governments to impose Sharia law on the ‘infidels.’”...


8 posted on 01/16/2026 12:25:34 AM PST by piasa (Attitude adjustments offered here free of charge)
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To: texas booster

What became of the search for the Supreme Court leaker on the eventual Roe v Wade decision?

The advance warning gave time for specific wording of state petition drives and led to pro-abortion groups like in Michigan having time to set up big propaganda and volunteer missions that resulted in a non-legislation altering state constitutional amendment.


9 posted on 01/16/2026 12:57:27 AM PST by frank ballenger (There's a battle outside and it's raging. It'll soon shake your windows and rattle your walls. )
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To: texas booster

How in HELL do all these FOREIGN BORN people get into our GOVERNMENT!


10 posted on 01/16/2026 2:50:27 AM PST by Ann Archy (Abortion.....the HUMAN Sacrifice to the god of Convenience.)
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To: texas booster
Nail that bastard, and Hannah too to the extent the law allows.
11 posted on 01/16/2026 2:51:49 AM PST by A strike (F AirstripOne)
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To: Ann Archy

“How in HELL do all these FOREIGN BORN people get into our GOVERNMENT!”

Simple. The Democrats turned federal and military service into a minority jobs/vote buying/infiltration operation decades ago.

Traitorous bastards.


12 posted on 01/16/2026 3:12:29 AM PST by SharpenedEdge (Stockpile. Prepare. Arm. Train. A Storm is coming.)
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