Hegseth Bars Military Officials from Discussing Boat Strikes with Congress
The Department of Defense, under Secretary Pete Hegseth, has issued new guidance requiring prior approval for Defense Department personnel before communicating with Congress on a wide range of topics. This list includes sensitive military operations, maritime activities in the Southern Command area of responsibility (including counternarcotics operations), and several other key areas. This policy follows an earlier memo restricting communication with lawmakers and has drawn criticism from some members of Congress who believe it hinders transparency and communication. Furthermore, the new policy comes amid increasing congressional frustration over a lack of information from the Pentagon regarding military operations, particularly in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific.
John Q. Hosedrinker