On Wednesday (April 8), the US Department of Justice announced that a former Army employee with the highest-level security clearance has been arrested for allegedly leaking a significant amount of national defense secrets to the media. The individual, Courtney Williams, was charged under the Espionage Act.
Williams, a 40-year-old resident of Wagram, North Carolina, who had access to Top Secret/SCI information, worked as a civilian support technician in a special military unit at Fort Bragg from 2010 to 2016. She had prolonged exposure to highly sensitive military operations and tactical information.
According to court documents, Williams signed a confidentiality agreement acknowledging that unauthorized disclosure of classified information could constitute a criminal offense.
The indictment revealed that between 2022 and 2025, Williams was in frequent contact with journalist Seth Harp, engaging in over 10 hours of phone calls and exchanging more than 180 text messages. Although not explicitly named in the indictment, the details closely match Harp’s book “The Fort Bragg Cartel,” identifying Williams as a source and referencing specific defense secrets.
Furthermore, investigations uncovered that Williams also independently shared defense secrets through her personal social media accounts.
In messages to her mother, Williams expressed concerns about the amount of leaked classified information, confessing that she might face legal consequences. When asked about the potential legal repercussions of leaking classified information, Williams replied, “I knew throughout my entire career,” adding, “They remind you all day … a hundred times a day.”
John A. Eisenberg, Assistant Attorney General for National Security, emphasized the solemn duty that individuals with security clearances hold in safeguarding classified information for national security. Eisenberg stressed that if a clearance holder breaches this trust, the National Security Division will swiftly take action to ensure accountability.
Roman Rozhavsky, Assistant Director of the FBI’s Counterintelligence and Intelligence Division, highlighted Williams’ betrayal of her oath to protect national secrets. As an employee supporting a special military unit, Williams’ actions jeopardized the safety of the country, our personnel, and allies.
Rozhavsky cautioned all current and former security clearance holders considering betraying their entrusted responsibilities. Unauthorized disclosure of classified information endangering national security could lead to FBI investigation and prosecution.
The FBI is leading the investigation, with the Eastern District of North Carolina and the Department of Justice’s National Security Division jointly prosecuting the case. It is important to note that the indictment is merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in court. The defense may argue that her disclosure was related to exposing internal misconduct.
This law enforcement operation comes at a time when the United States is highly sensitive to the risks of leaking classified information.
President Trump had issued a stern warning regarding the leakage of classified information following the crash of an F-15E fighter jet in Iran. Information about a second missing pilot was leaked to the media, putting the search and rescue mission at great risk.
During a White House press briefing, President Trump emphasized the urgency of finding the leaker and didn’t rule out legal action against the media outlet that published the information in the interest of national security.
“We will go after the media companies that disclose information,” Trump stated. “We will demand they turn over the source, or they will go to jail.”
“We know who it is, and you know who we’re talking about because there are things you can’t do. Suddenly, the whole of Iran knew that an American pilot was on their territory,” Trump said.