We live in an era when clicks and retweets often trump ethics and national security. Yet a recent incident may be a new low, showcasing the dangerous intersection of ideology, self-promotion, and irresponsibility of modern media. The day after the successful U.S. operation that removed Nicolás Maduro from power in Venezuela, investigative journalist Seth Harp published what he claimed was the identity of the commander of the U.S. Army’s Delta Force, the elite unit responsible for the raid that captured the Venezuelan dictator in Caracas.

Harp’s post, which he later deleted after widespread backlash, did more than name an officer. It included personal and professional details that could reasonably be used to identify, track, and endanger both the commander and his family. This was not an abstract disclosure. It carried real-world risk at a moment when emotions, grievances, and retaliatory impulses were at their peak.

The 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta, commonly known as Delta Force, operates in secrecy by necessity. Its missions include direct action, counterterrorism, hostage rescue, and special reconnaissance, oftentimes for the purpose of neutralizing high-value targets. These operations depend on anonymity to shield operators from retaliation by drug cartels, hostile intelligence services, and state-backed terrorist networks. The men........

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