Ousted former Pentagon official hired for intelligence role

March 16 (Reuters) – A former top adviser to U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth who was removed from his post due to a leak probe has been hired by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence after being cleared of any wrongdoing, two U.S. officials said on Monday.

Reuters was first to report in April that the adviser, Dan Caldwell, was escorted from the Pentagon and placed on administrative leave for “an unauthorized disclosure,” according to a U.S. official.

Caldwell subsequently issued a joint statement with two other Pentagon officials, casting doubt on the investigation, saying: “Unnamed Pentagon officials have slandered our character with baseless attacks on our way out the door.”

The New York Times reported earlier on Monday that Caldwell’s new role at ODNI will see him act as an adviser to senior officials who are responsible for coordinating the work of multiple federal intelligence agencies and drafting President Donald Trump’s daily intelligence briefing.

Caldwell has yet to start working at ODNI, according to an administration official who said that his role will be administrative. 

In a statement the ODNI said: “Any individual who is hired by ODNI goes through an extensive background review, including record checks and personal interviews, with a trained official to ensure the individual is trustworthy and does not pose a threat to national security.”  

Caldwell had drawn attention in Washington for past views that critics have called isolationist, but which advocates said sought to right-size America’s defense priorities.

(Reporting by Costas Pitas and Phil Stewart; Editing by Caitlin Webber and Stephen Coates)