The Discord Leaks (full documentary) | FRONTLINE + @WashingtonPost

It was one of the biggest leaks of government secrets in U.S. history: more than 300 pages that included highly classified information from secret Pentagon assessments of the war in Ukraine, to revelations about Iran’s nuclear program, Chinese aircraft carriers and the killing of ISIS terrorists.

The leaked documents, which came to light in April 2023, were posted on the gaming and chat platform Discord, allegedly by 21-year-old Jack Teixeira, who had managed to get a security clearance despite a troubled past. What was his motivation? Why didn’t the military stop him? And what was the role of Discord, a privacy-oriented platform popular with teenage gamers?

FRONTLINE and The Washington Post investigate those questions in “The Discord Leaks.” From an award-winning team that includes FRONTLINE directors Thomas Jennings and Annie Wong and Post reporters Shane Harris, Samuel Oakford and Chris Dehghanpoor, the documentary draws on months of groundbreaking reporting by The Post, including access to hundreds of the leaked documents its reporters obtained. The documentary includes new collaborative reporting with FRONTLINE revealing in greater detail Texeira’s online world, and his history of violent threats, racism and conspiracy theories. The documentary also features exclusive on-camera interviews with the alleged leaker’s close online confidantes, Discord’s VP of trust and safety and a former head of the Air National Guard.

The FRONTLINE-Washington Post investigation raises tough questions about how the military’s vetting process addresses applicants’ internet activity, how Discord polices hate speech on its platform, and why the alleged leaker — who has pleaded not guilty — wasn’t stopped sooner despite multiple red flags.

To illustrate the extent of the leaked material, FRONTLINE and The Washington Post used images of classified documents in this film that had been previously released in news reports, on social media and elsewhere on the internet.

“The Discord Leaks” is a FRONTLINE production with 2over10 Media in association with The Washington Post. The producers and directors are Thomas Jennings and Annie Wong. The writer is Thomas Jennings. The Washington Post reporters are Shane Harris, Samuel Oakford and Chris Dehghanpoor. The senior producers are Dan Edge and Frank Koughan. The executive editor of The Washington Post is Sally Buzbee. The editor-in-chief and executive producer of FRONTLINE is Raney Aronson-Rath.