The FBI has arrested a former employee of U.S. Special Operations Command on charges related to leaking classified information, FBI Director Kash Patel announced. The suspect allegedly disclosed sensitive national security material that put American troops at direct risk. The arrest marks one of the more high-profile leak cases tied to the special operations community in recent years.

Patel made the announcement publicly, signaling the bureau’s intent to treat the case as a priority. The leak is said to have compromised operational security in ways that could have exposed service members downrange. Details on exactly what was leaked and to whom have not been fully disclosed.

The former SOCOM employee’s identity and specific charges are expected to be released through official court filings. Cases involving special operations leaks are treated with particular severity given the classified nature of those units and the real-world danger that exposure creates for personnel in the field.

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The arrest lands during a period when the Trump administration has made cracking down on national security leakers a stated priority. Patel, who took over the FBI directorship earlier this year, has been vocal about pursuing leak investigations aggressively. This case appears to be one of the first major public results of that posture.