Trump administration proposes NDAs for all federal workers

[BumRushDaShow]

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/

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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.

[pat_k]

1. "Never rat on your friends, and always keep your mouth shut ..."

Every criminal enterprise needs a nice motto.

[travelingthrulife]

2. No.

[Jerry2144]

3. Part of having a clearance

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]

29. Of course it has nothing to do with non-disclosure of classified information

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]

4. Trump transparency is OPAQUE.

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

[AZLD4Candidate]

21. At best (eom)

[Historic NY]

5. What about the leaks from 1600 Pa and the Pentegon's chats?

[RedWhiteBlueIsRacist]

6. So he wants to treat federal workers as though they're Stormy Daniels?

WTF

[UpInArms]

7. Not just NO

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]

8. It's unnecessary because each position is already classified with some "sensitivity" level

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]

9. NDA for thee but not for me

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.

[TygrBright]

10. Fool, they don't work for you. They work for US. GFY. n/t

[Aviation Pro]

11. Not enforceable

You gormless child fucker.

[ToxMarz]

12. Better idea I think they should all wear body cameras

Maybe even livestream.

[FakeNoose]

13. Somebody please remind Chump that these people aren't HIS EMPLOYEES

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.

[Blue Full Moon]

14. NDAs are not enforcable for illegal acts.

[mahina]

16. I love that, thank you!

[Justice matters.]

23. There are no such 'thing' as 'laws' for the gangster-in-chief.

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

[YodaMom2]

15. He's using NDAs as a way to silence whistleblowers.

He’s preemptively gagging them.

[Wiz Imp]

17. It is already illegal for any federal worker to share any confidential government information

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.

[dlk]

18. When someone is mobbed up

What else can you expect?

[Ford_Prefect]

19. Unconstitutional on its face and violates federal employee contracts.

[Figarosmom]

20. Wasn't the "leak" about Venezuela from

The ear guy himself? Something about snapchat?

[Scalded Nun]

22. What is going to happen when Bozo and his baby-Bozos shoot their mouths off or intentionally leak shit?

[COL Mustard]

24. We. already do an SF312 for access to classified...

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.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

25. Sounds like he's trying to expand the definition of "confidential information."

[Johonny]

26. This is redundant and pointless

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.

[Walleye]

27. NDA's are un-American, especially in the government

[Texin]

28. Well, he did promise he was going to run the country they way he has run his businesses.

[pat_k]

30. Likely part and parcel of installing election deniers, corrupting CISA, and...

...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