An employee of the Defense Intelligence Agency is accused of attempting to share classified material with a foreign government out of frustration with President Donald Trump, the Department of Justice said Thursday.
Nathan Villas Laatsch, who worked in IT for the military intelligence service, offered to share classified material with an unspecified “friendly foreign government,” according to court documents and an announcement by the DOJ.
Disagreement with Administration Leads to Leaking Attempt
“The recent actions of the current administration are extremely disturbing to me,” he said in the email, according to an FBI affidavit filed with the court. “I do not agree or align with the values of this administration and intend to act to support the values that the United States at one time stood for.”
The FBI obtained the email and set up an operation to communicate with Laatsch while posing as representatives of the foreign country. “Good afternoon, I received your message and share your concerns,” the FBI responded, according to special agent Matthew T. Johnson’s affidavit.
Arrest and Investigation
Laatsch worked in the DIA’s Insider Threat Division, a unit devoted to detecting employees who might be disclosing or prone to disclose sensitive information.
He was arrested Thursday by the FBI in northern Virginia after the undercover agent received material from him at a pre-arranged location, according to the DOJ. The DIA employee allegedly told authorities he was requesting citizenship in the foreign country because of conditions in the U.S.
Stance and Consequences
“I’ve given a lot of thought to this before any outreach, and despite the risks, the calculus has not changed,” the documents quoted him as writing. “I do not see the trajectory of things changing, and do not think it is appropriate or right to do nothing when I am in this position.”
The FBI Washington Field Office is investigating the case, and Laatsch is scheduled to make an initial court appearance in Alexandria, Virginia on Friday.
“This case underscores the persistent risk of insider threats,” FBI Director Kash Patel wrote on X. “The FBI remains steadfast in protecting our national security and thanks our law enforcement partners for their critical support.”
