Daniel Ellsberg, the renowned whistleblower who leaked the classified Pentagon Papers to the New York Times and The Washington Post in 1971, passed away on Friday at his residence in Kensington, Calif. He was 92.
Ellsberg’s pivotal decision to disclose the top-secret government study of the Vietnam War marked a turning point not only in the conflict but also in American history. The leaked documents uncovered a systematic pattern of government deception regarding the war, provoking widespread public opposition.
The Espionage Act led to Ellsberg’s indictment, but the charges were eventually dismissed. In 1977, President Jimmy Carter granted him a pardon, recognizing the significance of his actions.
Even after the release of the Pentagon Papers, Ellsberg remained an outspoken critic of U.S. foreign policy. He vehemently opposed the Iraq War and vehemently condemned the government’s utilization of torture and other methods of interrogation.
While Daniel Ellsberg was a complex and controversial figure, there is no denying his substantial impact on American history. His brave act of leaking the Pentagon Papers transformed the trajectory of the Vietnam War and served as a wake-up call to the dangers of excessive government secrecy.
Ellsberg is survived by his wife, Patricia Marx, and three children.