Hegseth Imposes Restrictions on Pentagon's Congressional Communications

Reported by CBS News

New Guidelines for Military-Congress Interactions

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has issued a directive mandating that almost all correspondence and exchanges between the Department of Defense and Congress receive formal approval. This directive was brought to light by a document accessed by CBS News.

Under the new instructions, various departments within the military, such as the Joint Chiefs of Staff, commanders of combatant commands, and specific heads of military branches, will need to seek authorization before interacting with Congress. Notably, the Office of the Inspector General is exempt from this requirement, maintaining its operational independence.

Centralization of Communication Through Legislative Affairs

The guideline insists that nearly all inquiries and communications directed at Congress should be routed via the assistant secretary for legislative affairs. Any unauthorized communication by Department of Defense officials, even if well-meaning, could potentially disrupt crucial department objectives, according to the memo signed by both Hegseth and Deputy Defense Secretary Steve Feinberg.

Effective immediately, this policy requires affected offices to synchronize all legislative affairs with the designated legislative affairs assistant secretary.

Background of the Directive

This memo follows a period of contention involving major media organizations, including CBS News, and the Pentagon. The situation arose after these organizations refused to adhere to new press standards, which were believed to possibly breach First Amendment rights. The Defense Department previously sent a memo necessitating that reporters seek permission before publishing both classified and certain unclassified information. Most media bodies did not comply with this new protocol, aside from a few conservative publications.

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