Attorney General Merrick B. Garland Delivers Statement on Classified National Defense Information

I am joined today by Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco and FBI Deputy Director Paul Abbate. Today, the Justice Department arrested Jack Douglas Teixeira in connection with an investigation into alleged unauthorized removal, retention, and transmission of classified national defense information.

Teixeira is an employee of the United States Air Force National Guard.

FBI agents took Teixeira into custody earlier this afternoon without incident. He will have an initial appearance at the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts.

I want to thank the FBI, Justice Department prosecutors, and our colleagues at the Department of Defense for their diligent work on this case. This investigation is ongoing. We will share more information at the appropriate time. Thanks everyone.