Incoming White House chief of staff Stephen Miller reportedly backed the idea of arresting journalists to force them to name sources in criminal leak probes on national-security grounds, according to people cited by The Atlantic, The Independent reports. The Justice Department called the account “absolutely false.”

After Susie Wiles left the chief of staff post, three people familiar with the talks told the magazine President Donald Trump urged DOJ to pursue criminal-leak investigations. Among the tactics discussed, they said, was jailing reporters until they revealed government sources.

Two of those people described Wiles as pushing back against forcing journalists to disclose sources, while Miller favored the approach and insisted it “wouldn’t take long” for reporters to give names. The Independent did not independently verify The Atlantic’s sourcing.

A DOJ spokesperson told The Atlantic: “This is absolutely false,” and repeated that line when The Independent sought comment. The White House, by contrast, said “unauthorized leaks of sensitive national security information will NEVER be tolerated” and that “those responsible must be held accountable.”

Under U.S. law, journalists are generally not punished merely for receiving and publishing classified material from a leaker; the illegal act is typically the official’s disclosure. Still, in 2026 the administration sought to compel reporters to testify about sources, with subpoenas later withdrawn after newsrooms pushed back and judges criticized the filings.

Miller is due to take over as chief of staff on Monday, Nov. 9, after Trump announced him on Truth Social as one of his “most trusted advisers.” Wiles moves to the president’s political operation. Whether any concrete arrest plan was drafted or scheduled remains unclear.

Source: Stephen Miller and the DOJ hatching plan to throw journalists in jail over leaks: report — The Independent