Two U.S. senators have expressed serious concerns regarding a recent Pentagon policy that may restrict defense personnel and military commanders from directly communicating with lawmakers without prior approval. The memo, dated October 15 and signed by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, threatens to significantly limit dialogue between the Pentagon and Congress, according to Senator Angus King, an Independent from Maine and the ranking member on the Senate Armed Services Committee’s strategic forces panel.
During a hearing focused on nominations for several senior roles within the Department of Defense, King stated, “I’m concerned about the October 15 memo from the secretary, which basically throttles communication between people working at the Pentagon and Congress, including this committee.” He emphasized that such communication is vital, particularly in light of the discussions held in congressional offices regarding policy matters. “That would be prohibited under that October 15 memo. And I think we need to—it’s something we should discuss,” he added.
Senator Roger Wicker, a Republican from Mississippi and chair of the committee, agreed with King’s assessment. He noted that there have been suggestions that the memo may have been misconstrued and that clarification could be necessary. “Thank you for bringing that up,” Wicker remarked.
The memo, first reported by Breaking Defense, mandates that all interactions between Department of Defense (DOD) officials and Congress be routed through the Pentagon’s central legislative affairs office. It warns that “unauthorized engagements” with lawmakers could “undermine Department-wide priorities critical to achieving our legislative objectives” and could also escalate tensions between the Pentagon and Capitol Hill.
This policy change has drawn backlash from both Republican and Democratic lawmakers, who argue that it may hinder the Pentagon’s ability to achieve its legislative goals. Senator Thom Tillis, a Republican from North Carolina, stated, “You’ve got to trust your chain of command. This is too large of an organization to have that kind of a tight clamp on it, particularly when we have members [of Congress] that want specific answers, not going through protocol.”
Tillis further criticized the policy, expressing concerns that limiting communication could project a lack of trust within the organization. “This sort of closing the discussion to the press, limiting how many people connect independently in their capacity, very senior capacities in the DOD, just doesn’t make sense to me,” he added in an interview with NBC News last week.
As lawmakers continue to grapple with the implications of the new memo, the discussion surrounding communication protocols within the Department of Defense remains at the forefront of congressional priorities. The potential for increased bureaucratic hurdles raises questions about transparency and the flow of information between the military and its legislative overseers.
