On June 13, 1971, The New York Times began publishing the Pentagon Papers, a classified U.S. government study on the Vietnam War. The papers revealed the governments deception and mismanagement of the war, causing public outrage. The release led to a national debate over government transparency and the credibility of political leaders. Despite efforts by the Nixon administration to stop the publication, the documents were leaked by Daniel Ellsberg, a former Defense Department official. The scandal contributed to growing distrust of the U.S. government during the Vietnam War.