Policy | April 23, 2026
The Pentagon Is Testing a Bitcoin Node
Admiral Samuel Paparo told Congress the military is running a node for network-defense and other operational tests, not for mining or stockpiling.
The U.S. military is running a Bitcoin node as part of national security testing, according to Admiral Samuel Paparo's testimony at a House Armed Services Committee hearing on April 22.
The Block reported that Paparo told lawmakers the government is not mining Bitcoin. He described the node instead as a way to monitor the network and run operational tests tied to cyber defense and other security uses of the protocol. The House hearing page confirms Paparo appeared as a witness during the committee's review of U.S. military posture in the Indo-Pacific.