The full extent of Air National Guardsman Jack Teixeira's possession of highly classified state secrets was larger than previously realized, reportedThe New York Times on Friday.
"In February 2022, soon after the invasion of Ukraine, a user profile matching that of Airman Jack Teixeira began posting secret intelligence on the Russian war effort on a previously undisclosed chat group on Discord, a social media platform popular among gamers. The chat group contained about 600 members," said the report. "The case against Airman Teixeira, 21, who was arrested on April 13, pertains to the leaking of classified documents on another Discord group of about 50 members, called Thug Shaker Central."
Charging documents revealed that Teixeira was given top secret clearance as part of his job as an IT specialist at a Massachusetts air base.
According to the report, it is not known whether authorities were initially aware of this broader leak.
"The newly discovered information posted on the larger chat group included details about Russian and Ukrainian casualties, activities of Moscow’s spy agencies and updates on aid being provided to Ukraine. The user claimed to be posting information from the National Security Agency, the Central Intelligence Agency and other intelligence agencies," said the report. "The additional information raises questions about why authorities did not discover the leaks sooner, particularly since hundreds more people would have been able to see the posts."
Some Republican lawmakers have actually celebrated the leak, including Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), who has complained about Teixeira being "treated like a criminal."
Republican National Committee / Nikki Haley for President fundraising email from the night former President Donald Trump was federally indicted. (Email screenshot)