Army Intel chief warns of escalating foreign spy threat in military as ‘seditious six’ incite mutiny in ranks

Lt. Gen. Anthony R. Hale, the US Army’s Deputy Chief of Staff for Intelligence, has issued a force-wide warning about an escalating threat from foreign intelligence services actively targeting soldiers, civilians, and even their families.

The message comes at a moment when confidence within the ranks is already being tested by political actors, specifically the so-called “seditious six” members of Congress who recently encouraged troops to defy orders if they merely think those orders might be unlawful.

Hale’s internal communication, sent to more than 1.1 million soldiers and civilians, outlines a blunt assessment: foreign adversaries are stepping up their efforts to infiltrate, influence, or extract information from U.S. military personnel. His email, titled “Message to the Force – Protecting the Force against Foreign Intel Threats,” stresses vigilance, discipline, and strict adherence to long-established security protocols.

According to Hale, foreign intelligence collectors, disguised as recruiters, consulting firms, and think tanks, are approaching current and former Army personnel online. These actors are most aggressive during periods of financial or political instability, such as during the recent government shutdown, when they believe troops may be frustrated, vulnerable, or more open to outside engagement. Read the memo here.

He also issued a firm reminder that anyone holding or having held a security clearance remains legally bound to protect classified information long after leaving government service. Hale referenced the case of former Army soldier Korbein Schultz, recently sentenced to 84 months in federal prison for betraying his oath, as a stark example of what happens when soldiers fall prey to foreign intelligence targeting.

The Army Counterintelligence Command, led by Brig. Gen. Sean F. Stinchon, is intensifying its efforts to identify and disrupt these approaches. Stinchon said the threat is both “real” and “evolving,” urging soldiers and civilians to immediately report any suspicious outreach, whether online or in person.

Hale’s warning arrives at a sensitive moment for the military, which has been thrust into political controversy by six Democratic lawmakers whose video earlier this month told troops they should reject orders if they personally judge them to be “illegal.” The message, delivered outside any chain-of-command authority, has been widely criticized for suggesting troops can individually decide the legality of orders, a notion viewed by many as reckless, destabilizing, and corrosive to good order and discipline.

Those six lawmakers, now known as the “seditious six,”are now facing scrutiny from the Pentagon and FBI. Their public appeal to service members stands in stark contrast to Hale’s message, which underscores unity of command, adherence to legal process, and protection against foreign manipulation.

As Hale prepares to retire this month, Maj. Gen. Michelle Schmidt is slated to be promoted to lieutenant general on Dec. 8, when she will assume the role of Deputy Chief of Staff, G-2. She will inherit a force on high alert, one that must now navigate not only foreign adversaries but also domestic political actors in Congress willing to sow confusion inside the military for partisan gain.

The Army’s top intelligence official os sending a unified directive as he retires: Vigilance is not optional, discipline is not negotiable, and threats, whether foreign or from Congress, must be taken seriously.

Six Democrat lawmakers now get to talk to the FBI about encouraging troop mutiny