The Complex Relationship Between Daniel Ellsberg & The NY Times: A Thrilling Tale of Secrecy and Betrayal

Edited by: TJVNews.com

The captivating relationship between Daniel Ellsberg, a former military analyst and the prominent source behind the Pentagon Papers, and The New York Times, is a story that resembles a gripping thriller. Filled with clandestine meetings, top-secret documents, and a backdrop of a raging war, their connection was both mutually beneficial and tinged with conflicting emotions, as was recently reported in The Gray Lady. As Ellsberg, who passed away last week at the age of 92, exposed a secret government history of the Vietnam War, it forever changed the nation’s perception of the conflict. Simultaneously, the publication of the Pentagon Papers bolstered The Times’s reputation as a vigilant government watchdog. However, Ellsberg harbored reservations and resentment towards The Times, particularly regarding his treatment and the misleading actions of one of the main reporters, Neil Sheehan, as was brought to light by the NYT.

Ellsberg’s son, Robert, revealed in an interview that his father held mixed feelings about The Times. While Ellsberg appreciated the courageous and prominent coverage given to the Pentagon Papers, the NYT recently reported that he felt that he had been treated unfairly and unnecessarily. In particular, he expressed dissatisfaction with the way Sheehan had misled him and the subsequent article published by The Times, which conveyed information about his involvement with the documents.

In March 1971, Ellsberg engaged in a lengthy conversation with Sheehan, discussing the Pentagon Papers, the NYT recalled in its article. Ellsberg had managed to smuggle the 7,000-page document out of a secure office with the assistance of his then 13-year-old son, Robert. He granted Sheehan access to the papers with the condition that he could study and take notes but not make copies, the NYT report revealed. Unfortunately, Sheehan violated this agreement, secretly making copies of the documents with the assistance of his wife, Susan Sheehan, a former writer for The New Yorker. As was reported by the NYT, Sheehan deceived Ellsberg about The Times’s timeline for publishing the story, causing further tension and mistrust.

As The Times approached the release date of the stories based on the Pentagon Papers, Sheehan requested a full copy of the documents from Ellsberg. According to the NYT report, Sheehan believed that this request would indicate The Times’s intention to publish the story imminently. However, Ellsberg misunderstood the signal and willingly provided the documents, only to be surprised when The Times published the first article on June 13, 1971. The Nixon White House immediately demanded that the paper cease publication of the classified information, leading to a legal battle in which The Times ultimately prevailed, as was indicated in the NYT report.

Ellsberg faced subsequent legal repercussions as the government sought to imprison him. However, the case against him was eventually dismissed due to government misconduct. The NYT report noted that decades later, on the day of Sheehan’s death, The Times published an article detailing how the Pentagon Papers leak had transpired. Ellsberg expressed dissatisfaction with the article, as he had not been given an opportunity to respond to certain points made by Sheehan. According to the NYT report, his frustrations were further echoed in an interview with The New Yorker, where he criticized his treatment by The Times.

Despite Ellsberg’s ongoing frustrations, he continued to collaborate with The Times in various capacities, the paper of record reported. He participated in The Times’s 50th-anniversary package on the Pentagon Papers, providing numerous comments for an oral history. The NYT report indicated that he also engaged in interviews with individuals such as Jill Abramson and James Risen, expressing his lingering confusion regarding his interactions with the newspaper. These interviews, however, have yet to be published.

The relationship between Daniel Ellsberg and The New York Times remains a complex and enthralling tale. While their collaboration exposed the truth behind the Vietnam War and established The Times as a dedicated government watchdog, it was marred by deception, misunderstandings, and lingering resentment, as was reported by the NYT. Despite their differences, both Ellsberg and The Times played instrumental roles in shaping public opinion and challenging the government’s use of secrecy.

As it pertains to Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers,  a new generation recalls Steven Spielberg 2017 film, “The Post” starring Tom Hanks and Meryl Streep which also focused on the revelation of the papers and the lawsuits filed against the Washington Post  and how they defended themselves in a court of law.

Their story serves as a reminder of the intricate dynamics that can arise when the pursuit of truth and the role of the media intersect in a high-stakes battle for transparency.