A wide swath of Defence Department officials fear that new rules banning employees from participating in think tank and research events — a key way the Pentagon delivers its message and solicits feedback — will leave the military muzzled and further isolated from allies. The move, according to more than a dozen officials and think tank leaders, hampers the department’s ability to make its case both in Washington policy circles and to allies struggling to understand how they fit into President Donald Trump’s worldview. That’s particularly important now as the Pentagon assesses whether to end decades of U.S. policy and remove thousands of troops stationed abroad.
The DOD can’t tell its message,” said Becca Wasser, a former Army official, now a fellow at the Center for a New American Security, a national security think tank. “They can’t tell the critical points they want the general public to know. This is essentially shooting themselves in the foot.”The Pentagon said it made the move to avoid lending the department’s name to organizations and events that run counter to Trump’s values. But it caused chaos throughout the department, according to the officials, who like others, were granted anonymity to discuss internal dynamics.
The decision came a week after Defense Department officials pulled out of the high-profile Aspen Security Forum citing “the evil of globalism.”The officials and experts warned cutting off employees’ access to such venues, which include major global conferences, gives the appearance of partisanship to the Pentagon, an institution intended as largely apolitical. The decision follows other seemingly political moves by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, including firing top generals and numerous admirals, and attacking the “left-wing” media.
Top leaders are clearing most of their public speaking engagements to comply with the rules, even if they’re not sure it applies to them, according to the officials.Two of the defense officials said that they were still awaiting guidance from Hegseth’s office about how the new policy will work. Another said they have yet to see any orders at all.I am standing by and updating my X every hour on the hour,” said the official, who was desperately looking for clearer details about what the rules mean.
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