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BumRushDaShow

(172,646 posts)
Tue May 26, 2026, 11:53 AM Yesterday

Trump administration proposes NDAs for all federal workers

Source: Washington Post

May 26, 2026 at 10:54 a.m. EDT


The Trump administration is planning a government-wide nondisclosure agreement that bars federal workers from sharing a wide array of “confidential government information,” according to a draft notice posted to the Federal Register on Tuesday by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management.

The draft notice, which will be published Wednesday and be open for a 30-day public comment period, uses an expansive definition of privileged information, beyond typical classified and unclassified designations.

The draft blocks employees from sharing “non-public, confidential, or proprietary information” or “any sensitive, pre-decisional or deliberative material that is not currently publicly available and should not be disclosed under applicable law.”. Agencies can decide whether to adopt the NDA, according to the draft.

In the draft notice, OPM cited a number of high-profile leaks, including “unauthorized disclosures” to the New York Times and The Washington Post about the U.S. raid on Venezuela in January that captured President Nicolás Maduro. It said the leaks “put the lives of members of the armed forces at risk, leading news organizations to delay ‘publishing what they knew to avoid endangering U.S. troops.’”. OPM did not immediately respond to request for comment.

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2026/05/26/trump-administration-proposes-expansive-ndas-all-federal-workers/



No paywall (gift)

This is one of the most idiotic and unnecessary moves that they have made so far. This is because they refuse to learn about and follow the processes that feds already go through as part of their background checks and security classifications for their positions. I.e., there are already a variety of levels of civilian non-"Top Secret" security classifications that cover what can and cannot be disclosed. I.e., if the info is "confidential" it cannot be disclosed (with the threats of penalties like fines, removal from the position, jail time, etc., that is drilled into feds during annual security training that the 45 people never took).

IOW it's redundant business jargon gobbledygook.

For example this - § 1400.201 Sensitivity level designations and investigative requirements.
30 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Trump administration proposes NDAs for all federal workers (Original Post) BumRushDaShow Yesterday OP
"Never rat on your friends, and always keep your mouth shut ..." pat_k Yesterday #1
No. travelingthrulife Yesterday #2
Part of having a clearance Jerry2144 Yesterday #3
Of course it has nothing to do with non-disclosure of classified information pat_k Yesterday #29
Trump transparency is OPAQUE. bucolic_frolic Yesterday #4
At best (eom) AZLD4Candidate Yesterday #21
What about the leaks from 1600 Pa and the Pentegon's chats? Historic NY Yesterday #5
So he wants to treat federal workers as though they're Stormy Daniels? RedWhiteBlueIsRacist Yesterday #6
Not just NO UpInArms Yesterday #7
It's unnecessary because each position is already classified with some "sensitivity" level BumRushDaShow Yesterday #8
NDA for thee but not for me relogic Yesterday #9
Fool, they don't work for you. They work for US. GFY. n/t TygrBright Yesterday #10
Not enforceable Aviation Pro Yesterday #11
Better idea I think they should all wear body cameras ToxMarz Yesterday #12
Somebody please remind Chump that these people aren't HIS EMPLOYEES FakeNoose Yesterday #13
NDAs are not enforcable for illegal acts. Blue Full Moon Yesterday #14
I love that, thank you! mahina Yesterday #16
There are no such 'thing' as 'laws' for the gangster-in-chief. Justice matters. Yesterday #23
He's using NDAs as a way to silence whistleblowers. YodaMom2 Yesterday #15
It is already illegal for any federal worker to share any confidential government information Wiz Imp Yesterday #17
When someone is mobbed up dlk Yesterday #18
Unconstitutional on its face and violates federal employee contracts. Ford_Prefect Yesterday #19
Wasn't the "leak" about Venezuela from Figarosmom Yesterday #20
What is going to happen when Bozo and his baby-Bozos shoot their mouths off or intentionally leak shit? Scalded Nun Yesterday #22
We. already do an SF312 for access to classified... COL Mustard Yesterday #24
Sounds like he's trying to expand the definition of "confidential information." Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin Yesterday #25
This is redundant and pointless Johonny Yesterday #26
NDA's are un-American, especially in the government Walleye Yesterday #27
Well, he did promise he was going to run the country they way he has run his businesses. Texin Yesterday #28
Likely part and parcel of installing election deniers, corrupting CISA, and... pat_k Yesterday #30

pat_k

(13,930 posts)
1. "Never rat on your friends, and always keep your mouth shut ..."
Tue May 26, 2026, 12:09 PM
Yesterday

Every criminal enterprise needs a nice motto.

Jerry2144

(3,329 posts)
3. Part of having a clearance
Tue May 26, 2026, 12:17 PM
Yesterday

Is not disclosing info. You sign an NDA when you accept the clearance. And if you’re uncleared, you don’t get access to classified info.

This is yet another example of their not understanding anything or obfuscating their real intention or both.

pat_k

(13,930 posts)
29. Of course it has nothing to do with non-disclosure of classified information
Tue May 26, 2026, 04:20 PM
Yesterday

It has everything to do with ensuring whistleblower public servants do not "rat" on executive branch corrupt and criminal communications and actions. It has everything to do with co-opting public servants to serve the corrupt interests of a criminal cadre led by a psychopath over serving the interests of the public.

bucolic_frolic

(55,934 posts)
4. Trump transparency is OPAQUE.
Tue May 26, 2026, 12:18 PM
Yesterday

This is a stone cold NO. Makes a mockery of government for the people. NDA is corporate law, not freedom.

UpInArms

(55,430 posts)
7. Not just NO
Tue May 26, 2026, 12:37 PM
Yesterday

Hell Fucking NO

this is not a trump parlor game

this is our government and NDAs are not only inappropriate, they should not be legal

BumRushDaShow

(172,646 posts)
8. It's unnecessary because each position is already classified with some "sensitivity" level
Tue May 26, 2026, 12:58 PM
Yesterday

and employees are already restricted regarding what info they have access to and are exposed to.

I know when I was a federal supervisor, I had access to certain PII for my direct reports that obviously the lower level employees didn't have access to and I was obviously not authorized to disclose any of that to them.

relogic

(274 posts)
9. NDA for thee but not for me
Tue May 26, 2026, 01:10 PM
Yesterday

Their concern for leaks, vetting, security clearances and all the rest is insincere. They appoint a son-in-law to negotiate Middle East policy who is on the take for 2 billion (that we know of). We have in place a NSA and FBI that are infiltrated to the extent that this fascist regime has no credibility or intent to guard against anything undemocratic. Their opposition is predictably an agenda of blatant leaking, unsecured personnel and hyperbolic threats of insecurity-a self-own.

FakeNoose

(42,533 posts)
13. Somebody please remind Chump that these people aren't HIS EMPLOYEES
Tue May 26, 2026, 01:35 PM
Yesterday

They are working for Uncle Sam - the federal government - and not for the Chump family criminal enterprise.

Our taxes pay for their labor, as well as for Chump's labor, so the NDA's are off limits as far as we're concerned.

Justice matters.

(10,100 posts)
23. There are no such 'thing' as 'laws' for the gangster-in-chief.
Tue May 26, 2026, 02:51 PM
Yesterday

The evidence of that truth is that he never paid of his crimes in 80 years minus 20 days.

Wiz Imp

(10,499 posts)
17. It is already illegal for any federal worker to share any confidential government information
Tue May 26, 2026, 02:06 PM
Yesterday

Thus this is completely unnecessary. As a former Federal employee and a long-time state government employee who worked on a Federal program with access to millions of confidential state AND federal confidential information, it was drilled into my head that sharing any confidential information could result in my going to jail. It was necessary to sign agreements and go through training every single year.

This is either just a scare tactic or an attempt to define clearly nonconfidential data as confidential.

Scalded Nun

(1,734 posts)
22. What is going to happen when Bozo and his baby-Bozos shoot their mouths off or intentionally leak shit?
Tue May 26, 2026, 02:47 PM
Yesterday

COL Mustard

(8,412 posts)
24. We. already do an SF312 for access to classified...
Tue May 26, 2026, 02:53 PM
Yesterday

We also do an annual NDA that allows us to participate in budget development. I also signed several others when I got high level security indoctrinations.

This is a "rules for thee but none for me" type of scenario.

Johonny

(26,663 posts)
26. This is redundant and pointless
Tue May 26, 2026, 03:07 PM
Yesterday

Or to put it another way, it is to protect non- protected information. IE thr corruption. Government already has classifications and their employees probably understand it better than Trump, who hid top secret information in a motel 6 bathroom.

pat_k

(13,930 posts)
30. Likely part and parcel of installing election deniers, corrupting CISA, and...
Tue May 26, 2026, 04:32 PM
Yesterday

...enlisting federal agencies and personnel in the corruption of the midterm elections.

Of all the corrupt enterprises they are juggling, that is the top priority for 2026.

https://www.propublica.org/article/trump-midterm-elections-takeover

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