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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Georgia state Sen. Colton Moore, R-Trenton, was banned from entering the Georgia House on March 14. House Speaker Jon Burns said the senator made "vile" remarks against David Ralston on the day the late speaker was being honored. (Natrice Miller/AJC)

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Ceudy Gutierrez reads a book to her 2-year-old son, Matias, at their home in Buford, GA, on Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025. Ceudy Gutierrez is struggling to make ends meet for herself and her three young kids following her husband’s ICE arrest earlier this fall. (Miguel Martinez/ AJC)

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