‘Pentagon Papers’ leaker Ellsberg dying of cancer

Former Defense Department consultant Daniel Ellsberg — who leaked “The Pentagon Papers” to The New York Times in 1971 — says he’s in the final throes of a cancer battle he won’t win.

“On Feb. 17, without much warning, I was diagnosed with inoperable pancreatic cancer on the basis of a CT scan and an MRI,” the 91-year-old whistleblower disclosed on Facebook Thursday.

Ellsberg claimed the discovery was made while doctor’s were looking for something “relatively minor” and there were no early symptoms. Doctors have given him three to six months to live, he said. Ellsberg expressed disinterest in chemotherapy.

The Pentagon Papers, known formally as the Report of the Office of the Secretary of Defense Vietnam Task Force, confidentially outlined U.S. involvement in Vietnam between 1945 and 1967. That included a 20-year war where nearly 60,000 Americans died before the U.S. retreat in 1975. Ellsberg, who was involved in drafting that 7,000 page report, soured on the war.

The former Marine said on Facebook he’s in no pain and is assured “great” hospice care. He found a silver lining in the otherwise dire prognosis.

“My cardiologist has given me license to abandon my salt-free diet of the last six years,” Ellsberg celebrated. “This has improved my quality of life dramatically: the pleasure of eating my former favorite foods!”

Since his diagnosis, Ellsberg — who’s authored a hand-full of books — said he’s participated in multiple webinars and interviews about subjects that interest him, including Ukraine and the First Amendment.

“It turns out that I *live* better under a deadline!” he joked.

Ellsberg said when he copied the Pentagon Papers in 1969, he was prepared to spend the rest of his life in prison. Espionage charges against him were dropped due to investigative misconduct in 1973. Disclosure of topsecret information made available by Ellsberg made the war in Vietnam less popular in the U.S.