Is Reality Winner some idealist, upset about the 2016 election and the direction of her country, who leaked classified material she felt the nation needed to know? Or is she, as the government contends, a potential threat to national security?

Those opposing views of Winner, a 25-year-old intelligence contractor and Air Force veteran, could be at the center of the first leak prosecution under the Trump Administration.

Legal experts say federal prosecutors will want to make an example of Winner, who is accused of leaking a top secret report about Russian meddling in the election. The case comes in an era where rampant leaks have angered President Donald Trump and damaged his presidency.

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Aerial photo shows demonstrators holding signs to oppose Trump’s immigration policies during “No Cake for False Kings” protest on the 17th Street NW Bridge, Saturday, June 14, 2025, in Atlanta. (Hyosub Shin / AJC)

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Toi Cliatt, Trina Martin and her son, Gabe Watson, say they were traumatized when an FBI SWAT team raided their Atlanta home by mistake in 2017. (Courtesy of Institute for Justice)

Credit: Courtesy Institute for Justice