Pentagon leaker Jack Teixeira pleads guilty to obstructing justice, calls himself a ‘proud patriot’
SUMMARY
Jack Teixeira, the Air National Guardsman behind the massive Ukraine war document leak, faced a military court-martial Thursday at Hanscom Air Force Base and pleaded guilty to obstructing justice. Calling himself a “proud patriot,” he said in a 10-minute speech he was “exposing” Biden’s “lies” about the conflict, insisting he acted solo on Discord to set the record straight. Already hit with 15 years in federal prison last year for Espionage Act violations, Teixeira urged Trump to nix his convictions, arguing he might’ve saved lives in a “money-grabbing war.” The judge OK’d a plea deal—dishonorable discharge, no more jail time—tossing a disobeying orders charge. Teixeira copped to smashing his phone, hard drive, and iPad with a hammer and telling a buddy to ditch messages after the leaks broke. “I was scared of an investigation,” he admitted. His parents backed him up—Dad called him a quirky, smart kid who found purpose in the military; Mom said he deserves a redo.
