COMMENTARY | From the Pentagon Papers to Paine: A History of Leaks, Journalism, and National Security

This month marks the anniversary of one of the most pivotal moments in American journalism—the release of the Pentagon Papers. It reignited a centuries-old debate about national security, government transparency, and press freedom. In this commentary, MTSU journalism professor Larry Burriss explores the long history of leaked secrets and the fine line between whistleblowing and treason: