Inspecting claim Trump admin released private info on NJ governor candidate Mikie Sherrill

On Sept. 25, 2025, the Democratic candidate for g overnor of New Jersey, Mikie Sherrill, posted a link to a CBS News story on her X account. That story detailed how the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC), a branch of the National Archives, had released a mostly un-redacted version of Sherrill’s military record to an ally of Jack Ciattarelli, her Republican opponent in the race. The record purportedly contained Sherrill’s Social Security number, home addresses for her and her parents, life insurance policy information and other sensitive information.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom, among others, shared t he idea that the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump had reportedly illegally released the records. Snopes’ readers searched the site looking for more information about the leak. As part of our research, we contacted both campaigns and the National Archives. The Ciattarelli campaign did not respond to Snopes’ request for comment on the story. Here’s what we know:
How to access military records
The National Archives is an independent federal agency best known for displaying and storing the founding documents of the United States, including the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. The nation’s record keeper stores a whole lot more, however. One branch of the agency, the NPRC, is in charge of military personnel records.
Here, two laws with two different priorities oppose each other. The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) gives members of the public the right to obtain information from the federal government. The Privacy Act, meanwhile, restricts the disclosure of federal records about a specific individual without that person’s consent.
The NPRC must play a balancing game between the two. The current regulations on requesting military records are as follows, according to the NPRC’s website.
Veterans and their next-of-kin can always access their personal file with no charge.
Personnel files are opened to the public 62 years after an individual leaves the military. Anyone can access such files for a copying fee.
If a member of the public asks for records on a more recent service member, that information is redacted so that it meets the standards of the Privacy Act.
The NPRC’s website provides the following list as examples of what a member of the public could ask for without breaching the veteran’s privacy:
Name
Service Number
Dates of Service
Branch of Service
Final Duty Status
Final Rank
Salary *
Assignments and Geographical Locations
Source of Commission *
Military Education Level
Promotion Sequence Number *
Awards and decorations (eligibility only, not actual medals)
Photograph
Transcript of Courts-Martial Trials
Place of entrance and separation
*Items rarely available in the records we maintain.
Sherrill’s file release
According to the CBS News report, the NPRC provided a mostly un-redacted version of Sherrill’s file in late June 2025 to Nicholas De Gregorio, an ally of Sherrill’s election opponent, Jack Ciattarelli. The file contained Sherrill’s