Overview
- Courtney Williams, 40, was arrested Tuesday and indicted Wednesday in North Carolina on a charge of willfully transmitting national defense information, the Justice Department said.
- Prosecutors say Williams held TS/SCI clearance while supporting a Special Military Unit at Fort Bragg from 2010 to 2016 and, between 2022 and 2025, exchanged over 10 hours of calls and more than 180 messages with a journalist whose August 2025 article and book named her as a source.
- Investigators cite files on her computer labeled for a reporter, an alleged mailed thumb drive, and material they say included SECRET-level tactics, techniques and procedures with NOFORN limits, meaning it was restricted from any foreign recipients.
- Court filings quote Williams texting that she was concerned about “the amount of classified information being disclosed” and telling her mother she “might get arrested,” as officials also allege some disclosures occurred on social media.
- Journalist Seth Harp defends Williams as a whistleblower who exposed harassment and discrimination, while FBI Director Kash Patel publicly warned that the bureau will pursue leakers; such Espionage Act cases against sources are uncommon and often fuel debates over press-source protections and national security, with a conviction carrying up to 10 years in prison.