The U.S. Department of Defense has moved to tighten internal communication protocols, significantly restricting how senior military officials engage with Congress, according to new directives from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Deputy Secretary Steve Feinberg.
In a memo dated October 15, Hegseth and Feinberg ordered that all Pentagon officials, including the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, must now seek prior approval from the department’s Office of Legislative Affairs before holding any discussions or exchanges with members of Congress or their staff.
The memo, which was verified by a Pentagon official, warns that “unauthorized engagements with Congress by (Pentagon) personnel acting in their official capacity, no matter how well-intentioned, may undermine Department-wide priorities critical to achieving our legislative objectives.”
The new policy comes amid broader concerns about transparency and information flow within the Defense Department. On the same day the memo was issued, the majority of Pentagon reporters vacated the building in protest against newly imposed restrictions on media access measures critics say are part of Secretary Hegseth’s growing efforts to centralize and control information dissemination.
Analysts note that while coordination between agencies and legislative bodies is standard, this latest move could further strain relations between the Pentagon and Congress, especially at a time when lawmakers are seeking more oversight of military operations, spending, and global security initiatives.
The memo marks one of several internal reforms under Hegseth’s leadership aimed at reshaping how the Defense Department communicates both internally and externally, reflecting a shift toward more tightly managed and hierarchical information control.
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