New York Times - Top Stories

Patrick Healy

Assistant Managing Editor

This story, about a classified Navy SEAL mission in North Korea in 2019 intended to help Americans in high-level nuclear talks, has never been told. National security reporting like this is in the public interest →

Patrick Healy

Assistant Managing Editor

These missions often remain shielded by secrecy laws, leaving most Americans with no way to know about major actions that influence national security and may have an impact on their lives.

Patrick Healy

Assistant Managing Editor

The Times proceeds cautiously when reporting on classified military operations. We withheld some sensitive information that could affect future Special Operations and intelligence missions.

Patrick Healy

Assistant Managing Editor

The reporters interviewed two dozen current and former U.S. officials familiar with the mission. Officials said they were discussing classified details because the mission highlights a problem that plagues Special Operations.

Patrick Healy

Assistant Managing Editor

That problem is that these missions require extreme care and precision but are exceptionally vulnerable to failure. Some are big successes; others go wrong. There is often little public accountability.