The Trump administration is proposing a new rule that could require federal employees to sign nondisclosure agreements as part of a wider effort to curb leaks across the federal government.
The proposal follows years of public frustration from President Donald Trump over leaks inside the federal government.
During both of his presidential terms, Trump repeatedly criticized unnamed officials who shared internal information with reporters and vowed to identify and remove leakers from government agencies.
The Office of Personnel Management published a draft notice this week arguing that a governmentwide NDA policy would help agencies better protect sensitive information and reduce unauthorized disclosures to the media.
“OPM believes that a governmentwide NDA form will promote consistency across Government, better protect confidential information, and better inform Federal employees of their rights and obligations regarding confidential information,” the draft notice states.
The proposal would give individual agencies discretion over whether to implement the agreements. If adopted, NDAs could be administered to both new hires and current federal workers. The notice says violations could result in civil or criminal penalties.
The administration framed the proposal as a safeguard against leaks that officials say disrupt internal operations and undermine trust among agencies.
“Such disclosures risk chilling candid interagency feedback, disrupting orderly decision-making, and weakening trust within and among Federal agencies,” the notice states.
The administration said the proposed NDA would not block employees from making disclosures protected under federal whistleblower laws. The notice specifically states workers would still be allowed to communicate with Congress, inspectors general and other authorized officials under the Whistleblower Protection Act.
Still, whistleblower advocates and federal employee unions quickly condemned the proposal, arguing it could create a chilling effect inside agencies even if it does not technically expand existing legal restrictions.
Everett Kelley, the union’s national president, accused the administration of attempting to silence workers who expose misconduct or policy failures.
“Federal employees do not surrender their First Amendment rights when they accept federal employment, and the public has a right to know about this administration’s abuses,” Kelley said in a statement.
Kelley also disputed the administration’s claim that agencies would have flexibility in deciding whether to adopt the policy.
“OPM will pressure agencies to make the NDA mandatory and then fire employees who refuse to sign it,” he said.
The administration defended the proposal by comparing it to confidentiality agreements commonly used in the private sector.
“Americans should be able to trust that their personal data and sensitive government information are being handled responsibly,” OPM Director Scott Kupor said in a statement. “This proposal reinforces accountability across the federal workforce while helping agencies better protect against unauthorized disclosures.”
The proposed rule was officially published on Wednesday, triggering a 30-day public comment period before the administration considers final action.
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