Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats on Friday outlined the government's new offensive on leaks that have tainted the first few months of President Donald Trump's administration.
Sessions said the government has tripled the amount of leak investigations.
In their crackdown of leaks originating from, as they said, all levels of government, Sessions said they will also be reviewing the media's role in publication of leaks from sources.
"One of the things we are doing is reviewing policies for affecting media subpoenas," Sessions said. "We respect the important role of the press plays, and will give them respect. They cannot place lives at risk.
"We must balance the press' role with protecting our national security with the lives of those who serve in the intelligence community, the armed forces, and all law-abiding Americans," Sessions said.
Sessions said he has directed deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein to "actively monitor" leak investigations and "appointed our U.S. Attorneys to prioritize cases involving unauthorized disclosures."
Also, Sessions said the FBI "has created a new counterintelligence unit to manage these cases."
Coats gave a warning to anyone who possesses classified information who might be thinking about leaking that information.
"I will not hesitate to exercise those authorities. Anyone who engages in these criminal acts is betraying the intelligence community and the American people," Coats said.
"For those out there who may be listening or watching, or who will later learn what has been said here this morning, understand this: If you improperly disclose classified information, we will find you, we will investigate you, we will prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law, and you will not be happy with the result," Coats concluded.
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