When Donald Trump was president, the left-wing news media published all kinds of classified intelligence including fabricated information about the then-president that was planted by intelligence officials. But now that a Democrat is in the Oval Office, suddenly, it’s not okay for the media to do that.

“The White House urged journalists not to report on what appears to be leaked Pentagon classified documents circulating online,” the Daily Wire reported on Monday.

During the White House press briefing on Monday, John Kirby, the coordinator for Strategic Communications at the National Security Council, presented his argument as the U.S. government faces the daunting task of responding to what some believe to be the largest breach of classified information since the Edward Snowden controversy.

“Without confirming the validity of the documents, this is information that has no business in the public domain,” Kirby told reporters on Monday after facing repeated questions about the documents.

“It has no business — if you don’t mind me saying — on the front pages of newspapers or on television,” he added. “It is not intended for public consumption, and it should not be out there.”

The Pentagon issued a statement on Sunday stating that it is currently evaluating the legitimacy and national security implications of images that have emerged on social media in recent weeks, beginning with Discord.

The images reveal apparent confidential details about China, Russia’s war in Ukraine, surveillance operations, and other sensitive information. U.S. officials have reportedly been communicating with allies, partners, and Congress regarding this disclosure, the Daily Wire’s report continued.

According to The Washington Post, a US defense official stated that many of the leaked documents appear to have been prepared for General Mark Milley, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and other senior military officials. However, the official emphasized that these records would be accessible to people with the appropriate clearance.

Kirby stated during the White House press briefing on Monday that the Department of Justice has opened a criminal investigation into the apparent leak of classified documents that started popping up on social media.

The Department of Defense, meanwhile, is working to assess the national security impact of the leak, the source of which remains unclear. Kirby confirmed that officials suspect that at least some of the images of documents may have been doctored.

Q: "Do you believe the leak is contained? Are there more documents out there that have not been released publicly? Is this an ongoing threat?"

NSC Strategic Communications Coordinator John Kirby: "We don't know. We truly don't know." pic.twitter.com/QpPYXZyexS

— CSPAN (@cspan) April 10, 2023

On Sunday, Israel rejected a report by The Washington Post on Sunday, which alleged that the country’s Mossad intelligence agency had encouraged protests against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s controversial judicial reforms plan.

“The report that was published overnight in the American press is mendacious and without any foundation whatsoever,” said the prime minister’s office in a Twitter post claiming the statement was on Mossad’s behalf.

The Prime Minister's Office, on behalf of the Mossad:
The report that was published overnight in the American press is mendacious and without any foundation whatsoever.

— Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) April 9, 2023