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but leader pentagon There has been a significant change in the way one interacts with military officers Congress That follows a pair of new memos released last week.
In a memorandum dated October 15, the Secretary of Defense pete hegseth And his deputy, Steve Feinberg, ordered Pentagon officials – including the chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff – Obtaining permission from the Department’s Chief Legislative Affairs Office before making any communication. Capitol Hill,
The memo was issued the same day that most Pentagon reporters walked out of the building rather than agree to new Defense Department restrictions on their work, and it appears to be part of a broader effort by Hegseth to establish tighter controls over the department’s communications with the outside world.
According to the memo, a copy of which was certified by a Pentagon official, “Unauthorized engagement with Congress by (Pentagon) personnel acting in their official capacity, no matter how well-intentioned, could undermine Department-wide priorities critical to achieving our legislative objectives.”
Top Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell called the move a “pragmatic step” that is part of an effort to “improve accuracy and accountability in communicating with Congress to increase transparency.”
Previously, individual agencies and military branches within the Pentagon were able to manage their own communications with Congress.
A second memorandum issued on October 17 “instructed the Working Group to further define guidance on legislative commitments.”
The memo was first reported by the website Breaking Defense.