Attorney General Jones Slams Trump Administration’s Proposed Non-Disclosure Agreement for Federal Employees
Commonwealth of Virginia
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Jay Jones
Attorney General
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Richmond, Virginia 23219
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Rae Pickett
RPickett@oag.state.va.us
Attorney General Jones Slams Trump Administration’s Proposed Non-Disclosure Agreement for Federal Employees
RICHMOND, Va. -- Attorney General Jay Jones joined a coalition of 15 attorneys general in opposing the United States Office of Personnel Management’s (OPM) proposed government-wide Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) that would silence federal civil servants. The proposed NDA would have a chilling effect on federal employees by broadly defining what constitutes protected non-public information; threatening to remove, debar, or criminally penalize civil servants for non-compliance with the NDA; threatening to remove or debar employees from federal service for not signing the NDA. In the comment letter, Attorney General Jones and the coalition highlight how the federal government’s NDA proposal goes well beyond what is necessary to protect sensitive information and urges the federal government to reconsider its proposal.
“The Trump administration’s latest action actively censor federal public servants in an effort to shield the public from his dangerous, destructive, and illegal actions,” said Attorney General Jones. “This is not about protecting sensitive information; it is a clear attempt to avoid accountability. This is a blatant attack on the First Amendment, which will only further erode public trust in our institutions. I am proud to stand in opposition.”
The proposed NDA for federal employees undermines their First Amendment right by creating a climate of fear and uncertainty around what they can say about the work of the federal government. The broad and ambiguous language, as well as the extreme penalties laid out in the OPM's NDA proposal could discourage employees from speaking out about policies affecting the public. This may result in workers choosing to stay silent over the risk of discipline, even when their speech is protected and serves the public interest.
In the comment letter, Attorney General Jones and the coalition assert that:
Joining Attorney General Jones in sending this letter are the attorneys general of Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Oregon, Vermont, Washington, and the District of Columbia.
Published on: July 2, 2026
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