Renowned whistleblower Daniel Ellsberg passes away at 92

The family of Daniel Ellsberg has revealed that the famous whistleblower, known for leaking the classified “Pentagon Papers” during the Vietnam War, has passed away at the age of 92. Ellsberg, who served as a military analyst, released thousands of documents to the US media in 1971, which exposed the consistent deception of successive US administrations regarding the Vietnam War.

These 7,000 pages of classified information disclosed that contrary to the public statements made by US government officials, the war was an unwinnable endeavor. The leak, chronicled in the 2017 film “The Post,” portrayed the gripping behind-the-scenes narrative of the papers’ publication.

In March, Ellsberg shared the heartbreaking news that he had been diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer and was given a life expectancy of approximately six months. His family stated that he passed away peacefully, surrounded by loved ones, emphasizing that his last months were filled with joy despite his illness.

“He took immense pleasure in relinquishing the salt-free diet he had been on for the past five years,” the family remarked. They mentioned his delight in savoring hot chocolate, croissants, cake, poppyseed bagels, and lox during his final months. Additionally, they noted his enjoyment of re-watching his favorite movies, including multiple viewings of his all-time favorite, “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.”

Initially, The New York Times published excerpts from the Pentagon Papers until the Nixon administration obtained a court order preventing further publication on national security grounds. The Washington Post subsequently took up the cause.

Ellsberg faced charges under the Espionage Act, but the case ended in a mistrial in 1973 after it was revealed that the government had engaged in illegal evidence gathering.

Acknowledging his diagnosis on March 3, Ellsberg reflected on the impact of his groundbreaking actions. “When I copied the Pentagon Papers in 1969, I fully expected to spend the rest of my life behind bars,” he wrote. “I would have willingly accepted that fate if it meant expediting an end to the Vietnam War, no matter how unlikely it seemed. And in the end, due to Nixon’s unlawful actions, that act did play a role in hastening the war’s conclusion,” Ellsberg added.

Throughout his life, Ellsberg remained an outspoken critic of war, particularly US military interventions in Afghanistan and Iraq. He asserted that the actions carried out in the Middle East had caused immense suffering. In 2017, he published a comprehensive volume titled “The Doomsday Machine: Confessions of a Nuclear War Planner,” which shed light on the nuclear threat from an insider’s perspective.

Even after his diagnosis, Ellsberg continued his activism, raising awareness about the ongoing peril of nuclear war and specifically highlighting the dangers posed by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in interviews with reporters.

“Daniel was a truth seeker and a patriotic advocate for truth, an antiwar activist, a beloved husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, a dear friend to many, and an inspiration to countless others. He will be deeply missed by all of us,” expressed his grieving family.