The Trump administration wants everyone working in government to sign new non-disclosure agreements. Broad ones.
Why the sudden fixation on secrecy?
Donald Trump has never been subtle about his disdain for leaks. Or the journalists who run with them. From alleged details about a potential conflict with Iran to rumors regarding FBI Director Kash Patel’s nightlife habits, he has consistently painted leaks as a betrayal.
This NDA is a weapon. Or at least, it is designed to be.
It creates a legal hook to deter insiders from speaking up. If you sign, you agree that you know the rules. If you break them, there are consequences.
They have done this before, though on a smaller scale. Defense Department staff and others have already faced similar demands, including polygraph tests in some extreme cases. This is just rolling it out further.
So, what are you actually signing?
Technically, the language is boring. The Office of Personnel Management says the document merely asks employees to “document their acknowledgment of… current legal obligations to safeguard” confidential information. It sounds administrative. It reads like bureaucracy.
But context changes everything.
This is a crackdown. It is another layer in the administration’s push to shut down internal criticism. The draft stage matters, but only because there is a 30-day window for public comments before agencies can choose to adopt it. That is all the delay you get.
History is heavy here. The public often learns the most vital things about how the government actually works through these leaks. Not just now, but always. If this goes through, transparency gets harder.
It fits the pattern.
The entire arc of this second term feels deeply personal. Look at the staffing choices—former personal lawyers at the DOJ. Look at the decor—the UFC fight on the lawn, the gilded taste overtaking the Oval Office. Government is becoming an extension of a personal brand.
The NDAs follow the same logic. Private-sector tactics applied to public servants. Employees who, in the eyes of this administration, exist to serve the President rather than the public.
It’s a shift in philosophy, packaged in paper.
A brief detour into sports.
I don’t care about the Knicks. My heart remains with Seattle until the SuperSonics return. That said, there is a joy in watching a suffering franchise win, even if it’s not mine.
I appreciated the analysis of their run to the NBA Finals. There is something compelling about dominant success, regardless of team loyalty.
Back to reality.
We’ll be here tomorrow. For now, close the tabs. 🛑
